Drugs – Policies and practices
„Issue topic – Financing Harm Reduction Programs“.
C O N T E N T
Introduction: Solutions can be found – but someone has to listen
We HAVE the support but NOT the finances!!!
We were approaching Macedonia Square with heavy hearts, silently wondering whether it was possible to fall down in obscurity and be forgotten after 12 years at the forefront of the epidemic struggle. Was it possible to lose the defence lines against an epidemic dropping in European countries, whereas here, after decades of successful low HIV prevalence we couldn’t afford to provide the basic services? Was it really possible that the country would simply dismiss its citizens after 12 years? Author: Denis Ampev
Harm reduction programs are facing a serious threat of being closed unless finances for future sustenance and development are allocated from the Budget of the Republic of Macedonia. If this happens, many people will lose the only health, social and legal support they receive in this state, with consequences resonating throughout the society. This is far from just our personal opinion. The staff at the City of Skopje, Department for Social, Child and Health Protection agrees. We asked Eleonora Panchevska Nikolovska about her personal views on the advantages of harm reduction programs for the protection of public health and the potential disadvantages in case of closure. The interview was conducted by Vanja Dimitrievski
We have located funding for the HIV programs, it’s the politicians’ move now
The budget of the Macedonian Ministry of Health provides possibilities for financing the harm reduction programs, yet it remains inexplicable why funds allocated for these programs in the 2017 Budget were significantly cut. Was the Ministry attempting to avoid support and consequently the obligations under the contract between the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Macedonian Government? Author: Stefan Stefanov
The funds allocated to the Ministry of Health for promotion of citizens’ health on annual basis, from beer, ethyl alcohol and cigarettes excise duty, , are potential source for funding of harm reduction programs. Half of the funds collected from this source, are spent for the Ministry’s current expenditures, instead of providing health care. Author: Darko Antic
Edited by: Davor Smilanov
The Macedonian War on Drugs
The War on Drugs is a term applied to “the campaign of police and military interventions for the prevention of illegal production, trade and use of illegal drugs.” Drugs are “all psychoactive substances declared as illegal by the UN and specific governments.” The term War on Drugs was “popularized by the media after President Richard Nixon’s speech on 18th June, 1971 in which he declared drugs as public enemy number one and announced harsh measures to eradicate drugs.” Author: Vanja Dimitrievski
Dosage of Psychoactive Substances
The term overdose implies an accepted safe dose and safe use of PAS or medications. Author: Davor Smilanov
International Harm Reduction Conference
Being a part of the Harm Reduction Community implies fighting for the rights of people who use drugs, but other communities as well; it implies passion, togetherness and love for human beings. And yet, during the opening ceremony of the 25th Harm Reduction Conference held in May in Montreal, Canada, Sedalia Kawennotas Fazio, from the Mohawk people, reminded us that in keeping with Mohawk values, lack of care and respect for Mother Earth and nature imparts lack of love for people too. Author: Vlatko Dekov