The EU-funded Central Asia Drug Action Programme (CADAP) last week handed over specialized medical equipment (medical beds, laryngoscopes, defibrillator, patient monitors, oxygen concentrator, biochemical semiautomatic analyzer and other) to the regional narcological center in Kulob, according to the European Union Delegation to Tajikistan.
EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Ambassador Peter Burian, took part in the handover ceremony. “We hope that with the provision of the equipment, the assortment and quality of the service provided for the treatment of drug dependence and emergency care to drug users will be significantly expanded,” he was quoted as saying.
Dr. Mahmadrahim Malakhov, Director of the Republican Clinical Centre of Narcology and other representatives of the Ministry of Healthcare from the region and local departments of health (Kulob district, Khatlon province) were also present. They reportedly thanked the European Union for providing such essential medical equipment for the regional narcological clinic.
“We are sure that implementation of joint projects in key drug policy directions will increase effectiveness of measures undertaken in reducing drug supply and drug demand and will help us to decrease threats of drug use,” Malakhov said.
The medical equipment will be used at the emergency department. It renders specialised narcological help to drug users, such as with overdoses and other drug-related conditions.
CADAP purchased the medical equipment based on official request from the Republican Clinical Centre of Narcology within its Treatment Component, implemented by the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. The cost of the provided equipment is 41,000 Euros.
CADAP 6 represents continuity of the EU policy and long-term engagement with Central Asian partners to help further strengthen their national strategies in drug and drug demand reduction policies. The program is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Consortium from the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Poland and Germany, led by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
