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INTER-REGIONAL FORUM OPENS IN SANTO DOMINGO, WITH SPOTLIGHT ON TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTS IN EUROPE, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

An inter-regional forum coordinated organized by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) opened today in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, throwing the spotlight on treatment for drug addicts in cities in the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean.

In his remarks delivered to participants from his Washington, D.C., offices by video, Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General José Miguel Insulza said “this program of alliances among cities to tackle drug problems provide you, the municipal leaders, a great opportunity for policy and technical discussion of a public health problem that affects us all.” He described it as a trans-Atlantic initiative to unite efforts and expertise to improve the quality of treatment and therapy provided to drug addicts.

Underscoring the importance of municipal programs to treat drug addicts, Insulza said individuals addicted to drugs or alcohol generally seek help within their immediate community—from any doctor, their own family doctor or from a nearby hospital or clinic. “In other words, addicts seek out immediate professional help in their cities where they live—cities that you represent,” the OAS Secretary General told the local authorities attending the meeting.

In the Secretary General’s view, municipalities must therefore be equipped with mental health facilities so they can meet this demand for treatment, to be able to deliver quality service for drug addicts, in their communities. “With these alliances and professional networks that you will be launching here in Santo Domingo, we will be providing opportunity for cities to engage in the exchange of technical information,” he noted.

Meanwhile, CICAD Executive Secretary James Mack offered that the OAS specialized agency sees this initiative as a wonderful opportunity to promote greater access to treatment for drug addicts and to accentuate service quality. Addiction to drugs like cocaine and heroin is a serious public health problem on both sides of the Atlantic, he added, expressing the hope that this project would have a major impact on how health care for drugs consumers is delivered.

The inter-regional forum on drug treatment at the municipal level, which ends on Saturday, brings together mayors and other municipal officials from 45 cities, along with experts from both sides of the Atlantic, to discuss public policies and best practices in drug addition treatment. The European Commission provided financial support for the initiative that is aimed at building alliances across the Atlantic and raising awareness about this serious public health problem of drug addition.

Santo Domingo mayor Roberto Salcedo inaugurated the meeting, alongside Vice President Rafael Alburquerque of the Dominican Republic; Mabel Féliz Báez, President of the Dominican Republic’s National Drug Council; OAS Secretary for Multidimensional Security Alexandre Addor-Neto; the European Commission’s EuropAid Director for Latin America Alexandra Cas-Granje; and the CICAD Executive Secretary. Opening remarks by the European commissioner for foreign relations and European policy for neighborliness, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, were also delivered to the forum participants by video.

Reference: E-108/08