As part of World Overdose Awareness Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) mentions Greece’s innovative approach to dealing with overdose and how it has managed to save human lives by administering Naloxone in the field.

In particular, the WHO and the director for Europe Hans Kluge in their related tweet, report the increase in deaths from overdose worldwide by 69% from 2012 to 2021, for the ages of 50-64 years. With the ultimate goal of addressing the social stigma associated with substance addiction and taking measures to reduce overdose deaths, the importance of providing social support and ensuring access to the antidote Naloxone is highlighted. The case of Greece and the expansion of access to the antidote for overdose is presented with special reference.

With this in mind, the WHO, on the World Overdose Awareness Day, presents our country as an example and how it succeeded in preventing deaths through the administration of Naloxone by professionals in the field, saving human lives every day.

It is characteristic that since the expansion of the Naloxone administration framework, 131 human lives have already been saved in our country, only by OKANA professionals in the field. With the operation of OKANA’s 1st Supervised Use Area (XEX), active users of psychoactive substances can now safely use, avoiding overdose and preventing deaths. In the first 15 months of XEX operation, 211 overdose incidents have been prevented, 131 with naloxone administration and 80 with close monitoring. This is an important cut for Greece compared to previous years in the field of addictions.

In fact, the further expansion of the framework with the possibility of administering naloxone to everyone, now gives universal access to this valuable tool that inhibits the fatal effect of overdose in seconds. Greece emerges as a model in the treatment of overdose, showing its social face and putting the person at the center.