Chief Superintendent Jones Blantari
LEAHN Country Focal Point for Ghana, Chief Superintendent Jones Blantari (Ghana Police) spoke at the 23rd meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA) in Africa held in Addis Ababa; Ethiopia
16-20 September 2013.
Read Superintendent Blantari’s report below!
On the 29th of July, 2013, I received an invitation letter from Mr. Ian Monroe, the Law Enforcement Advisor of the UNODC requesting me to present a paper on the issue ‘Responding to the Challenges of Access to HIV Prevention and Treatment Services By Illicit Drug Users’.
1. There were three presenters (from Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania) on the issues at stake and the working group held two meetings on 18th September 2013. In its consideration of the topic under review, the working group made the following observations:
(a) National drug strategies provide guidance in planning and direction to all agencies with a role to play in the implementation of Government policies towards supply and demand reduction;
(b) In Africa, treatment and rehabilitation programmes are largely on-existent or are still in the early stages of development;
(c) Treatment and rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary, multisectoral undertaking in which law enforcement authorities have an role to play, commencing with developing national training curricula for law enforcement officers, supporting community sensitization and outreach programmes and contributing guidance and advice to the development of alternatives to imprisonment;
(d) The sharing syringes, drug solutions and drug preparation equipment are primary routes for drug users to acquire or transmit HIV, Hepatitis B and C;
(e) Adopting constructive harm reduction initiatives including needle and syringe exchange programmes, opioid substitution therapy, HIV testing and counseling which are among a wide range of suggestions included in the UNAIDS, UNODC, WHO comprehensive package for HIV prevention among people who inject drugs (PWID)
The working group drew up the following conclusions:
(a) There is an urgent need in Africa for increasing the provision of treatment and rehabilitation services for those who are active in drug use or dependence;
(b) African governments must lead in both the provision and regulation of essential services;
(c) African governments policy makers and law enforcement authorities should take note of the findings of WHO/UNAIDS studies that highlight the fact that HIV transmission during drug use is a major contributor to Africa’s HIV burden;
(d) Alternatives to imprisonment offer an opportunity or option to reduce he exposure of drug dependent individuals to HIV and AIDS and other infectious diseases and, an access to supervised treatment for those found guilty of possession of small amounts of illicit drugs for personal consumption only.
2. The working group adopted the following recommendations:
(a) African governments should ensure that adequate resources are made available to provide for and facilitate the development and operation of treatment and rehabilitation facilities, programmes and standards for persons suffering from substance abuse disorders
(b) Where they have not already done so, African governments are encouraged to ensure that there is collaboration between law enforcement authorities and their National HIV and AIDS governing bodies so as to ensure that the challenges of HIV and AIDS among persons who inject drugs (PWID) are properly addressed;
(c) African governments are encouraged to assess alternatives to imprisonment for drug dependent persons so as to reduce their exposure to HIV and AIDS and other blood borne infectious diseases, offer access to supervised treatment programmes that will increase the likelihood of their successful reintegration into their communities.
UNODC’s Mr Ian Munroe with Chief Superintendent Jones Blantari