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current issues

dependence, and a core element of harm facing people with opioid dependence. range of psychosocial interventions References
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norphine in South Africa. The lack of of substance use treatment services. with an opioid dependency. It is a shift in 17&lang=tr&site=ehost-live Implementing Comprehensive HIV and HCV Programmes with
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competition has led to unethically high Community distribution of naloxone philosophy that recognises the complexity 15. Haysom S. Hiding in plain sight. Heroin’ s stealthy takeover of inteventions. (IDUIT). Vienna: UNODC; 2017. p. 1–175.
South Africa. Policy Brief. Pretoria: ENACT; 2019.
prices of these medications. Methadone to manage overdoses among people of life, and prioritises the needs of people,
in South Africa costs ten times more than who use opioids is another important, and supports them on their journey to
in other middle-income settings. [37] Single effective service that saves lives. A reach their goals. Most importantly, harm
[31]
supply also poses a risk to supply chain reduction saves lives.
management. A methadone stockout
took place in November 2019. The threat
of the stockout resulted in anxiety for over
1 000 people on OST across the country A few recommendations to consider
and distrust of the health service. The
largest OST service in Johannesburg ran 1. Reflect on your views around drugs and people who use them
out of methadone for 2 weeks, with almost 2. Avoid judging people and use non-stigmatising language when speaking
all of their 36 clients (several of whom about, or with, people who use drugs
were on antiretroviral therapy) at that time 3. Empower yourself with accurate information about drugs and treatment.

reverting back to injecting drugs. Read and use the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society’s Harm
[38]
Reduction Guidelines due for release in the last quarter of 2020
During South Africa’s response to the 4. Explore ways to provide access to sterile injecting equipment for people
COVID-19 pandemic, large temporary who inject drugs and provide mechanisms for safe disposal in your
shelters were established for homeless practice
people. For people with opioid depend- 5. Demand increased access to OST
ence, a break in access to heroin triggered 6. Advocate for the decriminalisation of drug use and policy that supports
withdrawal and the likely loss of tolerance human rights and evidence-based public health interventions relating to
to opioids – increasing risk of overdose drug use.
[39]
should opioids be used at a later stage.
Several municipalities recognised the risk
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