Eastern Africa needs to be taking an approach to drug use that reduces its harm, through the provision of clean needles and syringes and opioid substitution therapy, rather than continuing to punish people for their drug use.
While the new drug policy shows progress towards a more balanced and comprehensive approach, embracing harm reduction measures; it falls short on key aspects.
Criticism against safer consumption sites ignores scientific research and the lived experiences of people who use drugs, which attest to the benefits of these harm reduction interventions.
Three members will be elected, consisting the representative from each of the 3 regions: Eastern Africa, Western Africa and Southern Africa and Two members will be elected to represent the Central and Northern regions.
