IOM, in close collaboration with Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, State Migration Services and Ministry of Interior organized a workshop on “Migration, health and substance abuse” in Turkmenbashi on 22-23 August 2016.
The training, which was attended by 24 officials from Turkmenistan’s Balkan and Dashoguz provinces, including representatives from the Youth Union, Women Union and the Red Crescent National Society, was conducted by an expert consultant on toxicology, Dr. Robertas Badaras of the Republic Vilnius University Hospital in Lithuania, and IOM regional migration health specialist Dr. Jaime Calderon.
The training was part of a project funded by the US State Department’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau since 2014 designed to reduce drug use and extend drug reduction efforts among internal and international migrants in Turkmenistan.
It has provided a series of trainings designed to improve the knowledge and capacity of regional health workers, relevant law enforcement officers and representatives of local authorities on migrants’ health rights.
The trainings have also played a key role in preventing substance abuse and drug trafficking, and in identifying and referring migrants with substance abuse problems to relevant services.
