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Consumption rooms among ‘ key interventions ’ to prevent infections , says EMCDDA
Drug consumption rooms are among the six key interventions to prevent and control infections among people who inject drugs , according to public health guidance published jointly by EMCDDA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC ).
While there has been a ‘ steady reduction ’ in the number of HIV diagnoses over the last decade among people in the EU / EEA who inject drugs , very few countries have seen a significant reduction in hepatitis C infections , says the document .
Alongside the stillcontroversial consumption rooms , the other five key interventions are listed as sterile injecting equipment , voluntary and confidential infectious disease testing , infectious disease treatment , opioid agonist treatment – including in prisons – and finally , vaccinations against hep A and B , respiratory infections , tetanus and other conditions for people living with HIV who inject drugs . The interventions should be delivered in ‘ combination with each other and with health promotion activities that target structural and individual factors that promote healthier and / or safer behaviours ’, the guidance states .
ALCOHOL DUTY WILL BE FROZEN until next August , chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced in his autumn statement . Almost 50 health campaigners including representatives from the British Liver Trust , Humankind and Nacoa earlier this year urged him to increase the duty rate , as alcohol was now 14 per cent more affordable than it had been
' There are better and more effective tools than ever before to prevent , detect and treat infections associated with injecting drug use ,' said ECDC ’ s director , Andrea Ammon . ' However , access to these services is often hindered by barriers like stigma , discrimination , or legal concerns . When designing strategies , policies , and programmes to address infectious diseases among people who inject drugs , policy makers and public health planners should consider approaches that limit and overcome these barriers and that promote service accessibility , uptake and coverage through the combined provision of interventions .'
The guidance reiterates the need for countries to ‘ expand their coverage of a number of life-saving harm-reduction and treatment services which have proven to be effective in preventing and controlling infectious diseases among people who inject drugs ’, added EMCDDA director Alexis Goosdeel . ‘ We have the knowledge . We now need to ensure that these interventions are delivered at optimal scale .’ Prevention and control of infectious diseases among people who inject drugs — 2023 update at www . emcdda . europa . eu
in 2010 ( DDN , March , page 5 ).
Alcohol Concern CEO Dr Richard Piper said it was ‘ astonishing ’ that the government had frozen alcohol duty again , calling it ‘ a tax cut for wealthy alcohol producers ’. The decision to ‘ subsidise ’ producers was ‘ disgraceful ’, he stated . ‘ Alcohol harm costs all of us taxpayers around £ 21bn per year and it ’ s not acceptable
When designing strategies , policies , and programmes ... policy makers and public health planners should consider approaches that limit and overcome barriers and that promote service accessibility , uptake and coverage .
ANDREA AMMON
Alcohol duty freeze ' astonishing '
that the government is failing to recoup this cost from those who profit from alcohol harm . We need the government to urgently reconsider this decision and remove the freeze on alcohol duty . With alcohol liver deaths rapidly rising , with no signs of that falling back , we desperately need bold action from the government to stop more lives being needlessly lost .’
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DETERMINED DELIVERY Louise Stewart is WithYou ’ s new director of service delivery in Scotland , and will lead its 15 services across the country . ‘ Louise ’ s extensive first-hand experience of delivering services makes her ideally placed for this incredibly important role ,’ said interim chief executive Hayley Savage . ‘ She is a compassionate and determined leader .’
QUESTION TIME The Forward Trust ’ s annual London quiz last month saw more than £ 18,000 raised for frontline services . ‘ On behalf of everyone at The Forward Trust , and all the individuals we will be working with , we would like to thank you for your generosity – undoubtedly helping us to change lives ,’ the organisation said .
FULL HOUSE Brighton ’ s New Note Orchestra and the Fallen Angels Dance Theatre – both made up of people in recovery – recently performed to a sold-out Royal Opera House . ‘ Recovery arts organisations thrive through connection and collaboration with each other ,’ said Dr Cathy Sloan of the Addiction Recovery Arts Network . ecdc . europa . eu
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