title: Implementing harm reduction for heroin users in Afghanistan, the worldwide opium supplier.
abstract: Afghanistan has suffered decades of war, occupation and unrest. It is also the world's greatest producer of opium and drug production and trafficking account for a third of the total Afghan economy. Currently alongside the "War on Terrorism", the control and eradication of opium production and related trafficking is a main concern of the international community. However, this focus on supply reduction has meant scant attention has been paid to increasing drug use problems within the country; it is estimated there are up to 25,000 opium users and 20,000 heroin users in Kabul city. Drug use is often a response to war, poverty and under-development, however, street opium and heroin manufactured in the country are widely available, affordable and of high purity. This paper documents the efforts of non-governmental organisations to promote and develop harm reduction and treatment services for problem drug users in Afghanistan in this difficult context.
authors.affiliation: Médecins du Monde Harm Reduction Programme Responsible in Kabul, Afghanistan. omaguet@ccmoconseil.com
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Maguet
authors.forename: Murtaza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Majeed
mesh_terms: D000346:Afghanistan; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015995:Prevalence; D016730:Program Development; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*