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A draft Bill to create practical strategies and ideas to reduce drug demand and minimize the adverse public health and social consequences of drug abuse in the country has been introduced.

The draft Harm Reduction Bill, 2024, which was yesterday presented by the Nairobi County Woman Representative Esther Passaris before a Parliamentary consultative meeting, incorporates a spectrum of strategies that includes safer use, managed use, abstinence, meeting people who use drugs “where they’re at,” and addressing conditions of use along with the use itself.

National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has said it is committed to supporting comprehensive and balanced drug demand reduction efforts.

When making a presentation during a parliamentary consultative meeting on the draft, Nacada CEO Dr Anthony Omerikwa observed that the concept of harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use.

“Harm reduction is an internationally recognized programme in the drug demand reduction spectrum. The proposed measures are in the realization that drug dependence is a complex, multifactorial health disorder characterized by a chronic and relapsing nature. Yet, can be prevented and treated,” he said.

“As such, harm reduction is part of the comprehensive and balanced drug demand reduction strategy, that is anchored on research and science. It should not be viewed as a stand-alone program,” he added.

Voicing Nacada’s support for the draft Bill, Omerikwa further reiterated that the country needs to strengthen its capacity to respond to all drug-related issues through prevention, rehabilitation, and enforcement strategies and increased funding.

“As the national organ charged with coordination of the country’s drug control strategy, we have incorporated harm reduction interventions to the 2024 Draft National Policy on Alcohol and Drug Abuse,” he said.

He added that Nacada has been in support of Medically Assisted Therapy (MAT) since 2014, and is currently implementing a MAT clinic at our Miritini Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in Mombasa County.

Passaris who also attended the function underscored the need for harm reduction services across all health facilities in the country, to effectively address issues related to drug overdose, high HIV and Hepatitis C prevalence among others.

“The current cost and availability of rehab services are major barriers. The Harm Reduction Bill is essential for making these services more affordable and accessible to those in need. In Portugal, there was a high rate of HIV and Hepatitis due to the people sharing needles for the drugs. They started by funding needles to the drug users,” she said.

Dr Omerikwa revealed that Nacada also coordinates the Alternative to Incarceration programme in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) as one of the harm reduction strategies adopted by the Authority.

“The programme ensures that persons who abuse drugs and come into contact with the criminal justice system access necessary support including Medically Assisted Therapy which is the use of medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies for the treatment of substance use disorders,” he said.