EU pledges €16m to mental health, drug use disorder services

KABUL (Pajhwok): The European Union has allocated €16 million towards increasing access of vulnerable populations in Afghanistan to mental health and drug use disorder services, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

In a joint statement, the WHO said it will increase Afghans’ access to integrated, qualitative, and comprehensive drug use disorder and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services to address drug use and its related disorders in Afghanistan.

Drug use is usually associated with increased vulnerabilities in many areas of life, resulting in negative social and health consequences, such as co-occurring mental and physical disorders, drug-related deaths, unemployment, stigmatization, crime, and violence.

“Drug use disorders need to be considered primarily as health problems rather than criminal behaviors. The EU funding will enable us to provide an effective and integrated drug treatment program that focuses on the physical, mental, social, psychological, and economic wellbeing of the vulnerable populations,” says Dr Luo Dapeng, WHO Representative in Afghanistan.

Raffaella Iodice, EU Chargéed’Affaires and Deputy Head of Delegation to Afghanistan, said: “The EU remains deeply committed to supporting the Afghan people.”

“Too many persons in Afghanistan suffer from mental health disorders after years of conflict and political changes. Improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Afghanistan jointly with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimeis to address immediate needs of people and represents concrete steps towards achieving universal health coverage”.

The EU’s assistance to Afghanistan addresses notably the most vulnerable segments of the population, including women, girls, minorities, internally displaced persons and refugees. EU aid is channelled through United Nations agencies or non-governmental organizations.

pr/ma