Stress, Marginalization, and Disruption: A Qualitative Rapid Situational Assessment of Substance Users and HIV Risk in Lebanon

Stress, Marginalization, and Disruption: A Qualitative Rapid Situational Assessment of Substance Users and HIV Risk in Lebanon

by Kaveh Khoshnood,Amy B. Smoyer, Francesca Maviglia, Janine Kara, Danielle Khouri, Fouad M. Fouad,and Robert Heimer

Abstract

Lebanon is a diverse and dynamic nation of six million people that has experienced considerable disruption for the last two decades. The Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011, resulted in the displacement of 1.1 million Syrians to Lebanon. Today, Lebanon is the country with the largest per capita number of refugees in the world. In addition, the country experienced a social, economic, and political crisis in 2019 that destabilized the entire society—circumstances that were further complicated by COVID-19 pandemic. With all of the competing calamities in Lebanon, there has been limited scientific investigation into substance use and the risk of HIV infection among the country’s population. To address this gap in knowledge, a qualitative rapid situational assessment (RSA) of substance use and risk of HIV infection in and around Beirut, the nation’s capital, was conducted. The goal of this analysis is to describe the demographics and drug use patterns of this population, explore their HIV knowledge and risks, and build knowledge about their perceptions of and access to substance use treatment and other social services.

Keywords: substance use; HIV risk; Lebanon; refugees; rapid situational assessment

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The evolution of addiction treatment and harm reduction programs in Iran: a chaotic response or a synergistic diversity?

The evolution of addiction treatment and harm reduction programs in Iran

Abstract

Backgrounds and aims

Iran has 2.1 and 1.8% of its 15–64‐year‐old population living with illicit substance and opioid use disorders, respectively. To address these problems, Iran has been developing a large and multi‐modality addiction treatment system, spanning the time before and after the Islamic Revolution.

Methods
Iran's current drug treatment scene is a combination of services, ranging from medical/harm reduction services to punitive/criminal justice programs. Included in this array of services are drop‐in centers providing low‐threshold harm reduction services, such as distribution of sterile needles and syringes; opioid maintenance treatment clinics providing methadone, buprenorphine and opium tincture; and abstinence‐based residential centers. We will review the evolution of this system in four phases.

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MENA H Coalition Application to the Multi Country Grant by the Global Fund

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Upon the launch of the call for the Multi Country Grant by the Global Fund, the MENA H Coalition decided to apply. The MENA H Coalition Network members met multiple times to discuss the grant proposal components including Primary Recipient (PR), which later was confirmed to be the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, and roles within the Coalition.

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Résumé de l’enquête sérocomportementale du VIH/VHC auprès des usagers de drogues injectables Tunisie (UDI) 2017

Résumé de l’enquête sérocomportementale du VIH/VHC auprès des usagers de drogues injectables Tunisie (UDI) 2017 :Association Tunisienne d’Information et d’Orientation sur le Sida et la Toxicomanie et la Direction des Soins de Santé de Base/Ministère de la santé en collaboration avec l’ONUSIDA et le Fond Mondial

En Tunisie, les UDI constituent un groupe à haut risque vis-à-vis du VIH ; le niveau de la séroprévalence observé était relativement stable entre 2009 et 2014, soit de 3.1% en 2009, 2.7% en 2011.de 3.9% en 2014.

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إفطار لمركز المقدسي للتوعية والإرشاد تحت شعار ندعم ولا نعاقب

 

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قام مركز المقدسي للتوعية والإرشاد بتاريخ 19/06/2016 بدعم من جمعية نساء من أجل القدس بعمل إفطار جماعي في شهر رمضان المبارك لمجموعة من منتفعي مركز العلاج البديل في وزارة الصحة الفلسطينية بالاضافة إلى مجموعة من منتفعي مركز المقدسي من مستخدمي المخدرات الحاليين، وذلك تحت شعار حملة "ندعم ولا نعاقب" التي تهدف إلى رفع مستوى الوعي حول المخاطر التي تنتج عن تجريم استخدام المخدرات، والحاجة إلى الحد من مخاطرها وغيرها من الخدمات التي تحترم حقوق الإنسان وحقوق الأشخاص الذين يستخدمون المخدرات، ويأتي هذا الإفطار ضمن نشاطات المركز الهادفة إلى تعزيز الاندماج بالمجتمع.

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