All efforts should be aimed at reducing the hazards from drugs and substance abuse and providing treatment and rehabilitation services in line with internationally-acclaimed health standards across the region, in close cooperation with the local governments and establishments working towards countering this peril, Dr. Hamad Bin Abdallah Al Ghaferi, Director General of National Rehabilitation Center (NRC), affirmed today.
”We at the National Rehabilitation Center in Abu Dhabi are fully aware of the huge responsibility entrusted on us for the betterment of the community. On this occasion, we wish to assure and reinforce our commitment to continue our efforts, with the support of our wise leadership, to meet the aspirations of the community in Abu Dhabi, he said in an inaugural address at the First Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Seminar of the International Drug Policy Consortium.
”We will work in tandem with the necessary policies and strategies in line with the sustained growth of Abu Dhabi across sectors, in order to achieve a promising future, hope and aspirations for the city,” he told a group of international experts, senior doctors, professors, opinion leaders and health experts who are here to take part in this seminar..
”Today, we need to renew our pledge to work together in order to make Abu Dhabi the safest, the best and the most beautiful city in the world.
The seminar, he added, seeks to examine the current state of drug policies adopted in countries across the region, identify the key areas for discussions and improvements to counter the menace of substance abuse, and agree on a methodology of working together to develop networking and advocacy activities in relation to this sensitive issue.
The two-day event is being co-hosted by the National Rehabilitation Center (NRC).
to identify the key areas for discussion and improvement, and agree on a method of working together to develop networking and advocacy activities on the issue.
The conference will comprise seven sessions focusing on the MENA Drug Policy Challenges and Responses, Prevention, Treatment, Harm Reduction, Drug Laws and Enforcement, Proposals for a Regional Network, followed by Conclusions and the Way Forward.
NRC is hosting the event as part of its strategy to equip the society amidst rising challenges due to the rapid development under way in the region, and to develop necessary policies to go with sustained growth of Abu Dhabi across sectors.
The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is a global network of 56 non-governmental organizations and professional networks who come together to promote humane and effective drug policies. IDPC’s network includes experts on various aspects of drug policy and program development, many of whom have been involved in writing and reviewing government policies in this difficult area.
The aim of IDPC is to provide a mechanism for interested NGOs and key opinion leaders to engage constructively with national governments and international agencies on drug policy issues, and offer a consultancy and advice service to policy makers as they work to review and modernize their policies and strategies.
WAM