UNODC Indonesia, Ministry of Social Affairs and National Narcotics Board Jointly launched the Official Guideline for Drug Treatment during COVID-19 in Indonesia

On 10th July 2020 in Jakarta, the National Guideline for Drug Dependence Treatment during COVID-19 pandemic was officially launched together with His Excellency Mr. Juliari P. Batubara, Minister of Social Affairs, His Excellency Mr. Heru Winarko, Chief of National Narcotics Board, and Mr. Collie Brown, UNODC Country Manager for Indonesia. At the beginning of launch event, the guideline was introduced through a web seminar with attendance of over 260 participants from various agencies. Then, continued with the official launch ceremony, the guideline was signed by the Minister of Social Affairs, Head of National Narcotics Board and UNODC Country Manager for Indonesia.

UNODC actively assisted establishment of the National Technical Working Group (TWG) to develop this technical document, calling for participations from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Affairs and National Narcotics Board, Civil Society Organisations, Association of Addiction Counsellors, and International Communities. The TWG has been gaining high level political support from the Minister of Social Affairs, Chief of National Narcotics Board, and other heads of agencies, due to the paramount importance of the topic in the country, in particular community-based drug treatment as a resource to mitigate transmission of the novel coronavirus and to ensure clients’ and staffs’  safety in the amidst of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government of Indonesia will be further disseminating this guideline through a series of webinars until health care providers working with over 300 drug treatment centres across the country can learn this useful information in a concise and practical way.