Integration Association
INTEGRATION Association is the only non-governmental organization from Bucharest made of ex or active drug users. At the beginning, at the half of the year 2004, it functioned only as a group of support, under the umbrella ARAS (Romanian Association Anti-AIDS), NGO which developed already since 2002 programs of reduction of the risk associated with the consume of drugs. Observing the existence of many problems - especially severe violations of human rights, for example the free access at medical treatment - the members of the group of initiative have decided to make something in this direction and have constituted an association.
The activities developed until now by INTEGRATION are of identification of problems, finding solutions and develop the association as a number of members - capture of the interest of drug users to sustain the point of view, to make known their situation, their needs and rights. The association addresses to the population, taking into account that every person is a potential drug user, but especially to the active users of drugs and to the persons in recovering after consume, and also for the ones interested in this phenomenon. The team of the INTEGRATION association develops the following activities:
The reduction of the risk associated with the consume of drugs:
The risks associated with the use of drugs, which in a country with antecedents in the epidemic HIV/AIDS should have been approached together with the idensification of the first consumers of injecting drugs, does not represent a priority for the Ministry of Health, it leading to the lack of practice interventions at this level.
The concept of harm reduction - reduction of risks associated with the consume of drugs was introduced in Romania by the non - governmental institutions. Activities of reduction of the risk associated to injection:
- The exchange of syringes
- Counseling on the reduction of the risk
- Referal to the specialized services
Beneficiaries at the end of the project: over 2,000 IDUs (intravenous drug users) from Bucharest. Results: change of the risky behavior of injection by using sterile equipment, the syringe and also the filter that are necessary for the injection.
Recently Integration was abilitated by the authorities as oficial service provider: see http://sas.mmssf.ro/servicii_furnizori.php?id=1852.
The Romanian society recognizes the existence of the consumption of drugs and the danger it represents for a country like Romania that has insufficient resources in general and for health especially.
The response to a threat like this is not equalizing the fears and expensive effort of publicity. The increase of quality and of the number of medical services, psychological and social services which address to persons affected by the consumption of drugs is not only one of the purposes of the advocacy activity:
- The daily monitoring of the written media online;
- Forum for discussion on the site of the organization;
- Meetings with the local authorities,
- Training of peer-educators.
Results: the increase of quality and number of services which address to the drug users.
Find out more about INTEGRATION on www.integration.org.ro !
