UNODC Iran Delivers Hygiene Items to Ministry of Health and State Welfare Organization

Tehran- The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Iran is making significant strides in enhancing drug use prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and HIV care through its Sub-Programme 3. With a focus on high-risk groups, UNODC Iran is working to provide non-discriminatory harm reduction support and services to help-seekers, particularly women drug users.

Recently, UNODC Iran delivered a much-needed donation of hygiene items, including needles and syringes, condoms, and sanitary pads, to the Ministry of Health and State Welfare Organization in Tehran. This donation was made possible through generous funding received from the Kingdom of Norway and the Netherlands.

The donation was handed over by Mr. Alexander Fedulov, UNODC Iran Country Representative on 6 March 2023 to representatives from the State Welfare Organization and the Ministry of Health in a ceremony attended by the Drug Control Headquarters representative. The donated items will be dispatched to drop-in-centers (DICs), women's harm reduction centers, and other related centers working in the area of harm reduction and prevention.

The impact of UNODC Iran's work in enhancing harm reduction support and provision of services to help-seekers cannot be overstated. Drug use is a significant problem in Iran, with an estimated 2.8 million people suffering from substance use disorders. Additionally, there are nearly 200 thousand People Who Inject drugs (PWID) in Iran. These individuals are at a high risk of contracting infectious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis, due to unsafe injection practices.

UNODC Iran's efforts are aimed at reaching out and engaging with drug users to provide them with prevention, treatment, and care strategies that protect them, their partners, and families from infectious diseases, health problems in general, and encourage entry into substance dependence treatment and medical care and rehabilitation.

The donation of hygiene items will help to improve the living conditions of the People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) and improve access to services for those who need them most, including women.

UNODC Iran continues to support national partners' efforts to provide non-discriminatory harm reduction and prevention measures to reduce the harmful consequences of substance abuse to PWUD. Through its Sub-Programme 3, UNODC Iran is making a significant impact in enhancing drug use prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and HIV care in Iran.

For more information about UNODC Iran and its efforts, please visit their website.