Kazakhstan Risks Losing Opioid Maintenance
Therapy Programs
For the original article posted on the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network - click here.
See below this background article for information on how we can support our peers in Kazakhstan -and fight back to keep OST in the region.
Background to the issue:
The outcomes of the assessment of the opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) programs, initiated by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2017, may lead to the complete halt of these programs in the country. Multiple violations of human rights were recorded during the assessment, it was conducted in breach of international bioethical standards. Based on that, the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) and Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network appealed to United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) urging the Government of Kazakhstan to provide information on their plans to increase the availability of OMT as well as ensure the respect and protection of human rights of drug-dependent individuals and people living with HIV.
In 2017, only 2,69% of all injecting drug users on the outpatient register in Kazakhstan were receiving OMT, contrary to WHO’s recommendations of at least 20% coverage. OMT programs, initiated in Kazakhstan in 2008, under the recommendations from various international organisations, have not received unanimous support from politicians, law enforcement, and healthcare institutions. In June 2017, the Ministry of the Interior, backed by seven members of the parliament, requested immediate termination of OMT in Kazakhstan. The Prime Minister’s Office soon ordered an evaluation of the OMT programs, which was started at the end of September by the establishment of the Inter-Sectoral Working Group composed of 17 members. On 30 October 2017, the Working Group produced a Resolution with the conclusions that OMT is effective in Kazakhstan and it should be continued with some improvements regarding the accessibility and the quality of services.
However, some members of the Working Group were not satisfied with the positive recommendations and initiated an alternative research. With the help of the police, the new research was conducted without a proper methodology and gravely violating the rights of the OMT patients: a number of interviewed OMT patients were misinformed about the true aims of the research and were threatened or coerced into giving their statements, and they had to give urine for drug testing without the signing of consent forms.
At the end of December, the group provided its findings in a “Special Opinion”, the main conclusion of which was that OMT is not effective and should be terminated, asserting countries that have completely terminated OMT programs. Subsequently, the Ministry of the Interior issued information about the establishment of a new commission for additional assessment of the effectiveness of OMT with the participation of the National Security Committee and Foreign Intelligence Service. As a result, as of January 2018, the admission of new patients in the centers for methadone maintenance therapy was stopped.
“Despite the fact that OMT programs have proven to be one of the best means to decrease the spread of HIV, the Kazakh Government has taken a worrying step, which may have irreversible negative consequences for the livelihood of the country’s population. Primarily, it affects the OMT patients who are seeking alternatives to illicit drug use,” says Dasha Matyushina-Ocheret, EHRA’s Policy Reform Advisor. “The situation is particularly grave, since the Global Fund, which is the main financial donor for harm reduction programs in Kazakhstan, may stop the funding at the end of this year. Therefore, the decision was taken to present a parallel report on the access of people who inject drugs to drug dependence treatment in Kazakhstan to the CESCR as one of the means to help the people in need to continue receiving life-saving opioid substitution therapy.”
This is the second parallel submission by EHRA and Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network for the 62nd Pre-Sessional Working Group of the CESCR, which will take place in Geneva, on 3-6 April 2018. Last week, together with the Estonian organisation of people who use psychoactive substances LUNEST, they also tabled a report on the situation of women who use drugs in Estonia.
For more information, please read the Briefing Paper on the Access of People who Inject Drugs to Drug Dependence Treatment in Kazakhstan.
The Protest - Fighting Back
NOTE: on the 26th June, drug user groups along with other supporting organisations are encouraged to take a letter to your cities Kazakhstan embassy - and deliver it personally, taking pictures to send out across social media in protest. There are very real fears that if OST is lost in Kazakhstan, it will be lost in surrounding countries as well. Fight for our peers, fight for humane, evidence based drug policies and effective, life saving drug treatment.
To everyone. Urgently. Our friends and partners in Kazakhstan need support!
Participants of substitution therapy, public organizations of Kazakhstan apply for support to keep methadone treatment in their country.
Credentials to decide the future of the program were handed over to the law enforcement agencies. As a result, at the beginning of 2018 new people were not taken into the program, scientific and statistical facts about the effectiveness of treatment were distorted and on June 27 a decision will be made – whether or not the OST will be in Kazakhstan.
EHRA calls – let’s act together! Let’s defend access to a vital methadone treatment in Kazakhstan!
By June 25 (incl.), please sign a joint statement to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Be sure to include the name of your organization and the country.
Eliza Kurcevic (EHRA) will collect your letters of support to E-mail eliza@harmreductioneurasia.org
Joint letter of support will be presented to journalists during the press-conference on June 26 in Kazakhstan.
NOTE (euronpud comment) : If you have trouble adding your name/logo to the letter - then send Eliza your organisations logo/name today. And then, tonite we should have a copy of the letter that people can also take to embassies around the EU. (The letter is at no.1) During or after SDP event - take a very important walk to the Kazac Embassy - and deliver the letter in person, with pics!
Deliver the letter to your cities Kazakhstan embassy! Take pictures and send far and wide through Social media!
On June 26, come to the building of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in your country. Add photos near the embassy on your Facebook page, with the #KazOST, #EHRA, #SupportDontPunish hashtags.