Systematic work with special emphasis on harm reduction has been given daily by OKANA every day for the last two years as with intensive streetwork actions it maintains a constant presence at the gathering places of addicts in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras, creating innovative programs.
The work is done in the field, where the active user is, gathers, uses and unfortunately experiences his daily life. This of course has no hours and days, holidays and daily. So, Christmas is like another day that the body must be next to all those in need. Every day, every morning, every afternoon, every night, whether it is a holiday or not, the streetwork teams of OKANA implement actions.
Streetwork for OKANA means damage reduction. It is the first Organization in the country to develop streetwork or “road service”, in the context of harm reduction, 18 years ago, being the pioneers who adopted this practice and those who passed this know-how to other organizations and NGOs later, to complement the field.
Distributes safe material for essential use, basic necessities and assists in their primary health care. The actions take place in different gathering places of addicts, in “squares” of heroin, but also in “squares” of shisha (crystalline methamphetamine). In addition to safer materials, sandwiches, water, masks, disinfectants, sleeping bags and blankets for the coldest days of winter are also distributed.
Today, OKANA is a pioneer again. Streetwork teams distribute 4 different KITs:
· KIT ​​of safe inhalable sanitary material (with multiple mouthpieces)
· KIT ​​of safe material for safe use (with 20 syringes)
· KIT ​​for individual protection from the pandemic and
· Homelessness KIT, to meet the hygiene needs of the beneficiaries.
but also meals and water.
Decongesting the gathering places of substance abusers, reducing the delinquency often associated with substance use, and providing clean syringes – limiting the transmission of disease – are just some of the immediate benefits. The ultimate goal is to create a relationship and connect them with the therapeutic programs of the Organization.
By November 2021, 380,000 syringes have already been distributed, with the forecast at the end of the year to exceed 400,000 syringes (growth rate> 100% compared to 2020), a very high number – unprecedented in the history of the Organization and despite its conditions pandemic. This demonstrates on the one hand the excellent operation and the intensified actions of the Agency’s streetwork team, but on the other hand also shows the increased need for public health protection that must be met. The number of condoms – 32,000 -, contacts – 51,000 -, but also meals – 36,000 is also increased.
New substances and treatment
OKANA, monitoring the needs in the field, immediately intervened in a new substance that has appeared in recent years, that of crystalline methamphetamine, also known as shisha. This substance is a poor quality methamphetamine, easily accessible at low cost, but with extremely harmful effects on the health of the user. The Organization, intervening directly for the first time in Greece, distributes hygienic material for safe inhaled use. As of November 2021, 2,600 KITs of safe inhaled use with multiple mouthpieces have already been distributed.
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