Harm Reduction Programme with Drug Users

Location:  Belgrade

Situation:

The union of Serbia and Montenegro is politically unstable because of the uncertainties over the status of the neighbouring regions – Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro – and of certain Serbian regions such as Voivodine and Kosovo. Following the conflicts and socio-economic upsets which shook this region in the 1990s and the clear absence of significant international cooperation, Serbia and Montenegro is also experiencing economic difficulties. The provision of healthcare has clearly deteriorated and the HIV epidemic is growing, especially amongst injectable drug users, although it is not possible to obtain clear information on the epidemiological level.

Activities:

At the end of 2005, MdM transferred its harm reduction programme to Veza, a local Serbian association. However, the MdM team supports this association with fundraising, development and MdM project management. has also started a project towards the opening of a specialist addiction medicine unit within a primary healthcare structure.

Outlook:

The programme started in autumn 2006 will lead to the opening of a specialist addiction medicine unit and the start of an opiate substitution programme within a primary healthcare centre in Belgrade in the first six months of 2007.

Project start date: December 2006

Transfer date: 2009