Annual HIV Scientific Meeting: Opioid Substitution Therapy Implementation and HIV Research Update

On November 11th, 2019 Asfendiyarov National Medical University together with SUNY Downstate Medical Centre held an OST stakeholders meeting to discuss the Implementation of Opioid Substitute Therapy in Key Populations: International and Kazakhstani perspectives. It was a wonderful opportunity to host Frederick Altice, MD, Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases); Director, Clinical and Community Research; Academic Icon Professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, Connecticut, USA and to learn from his resounding accomplishments in this field, as well as to review the OST situation, challenges and opportunities in Kazakhstan.

The discussion points of the meeting were:

—        current status of OST program in Kazakhstan, barriers for implementation, roadmap and future

—        alternatives for methadone and opportunities for introduction in Kazakhstan

—        challenges for OST, including synthetic amphetamine drug epidemic, harm reduction and treatment for synthetic drugs abuse

—        OST in penitentiary system, examples from other EECA countries and opportunities in KZ