The Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the first Supervised Use Area (CIS) in Greece, which is housed in the offices of OKANA. This is “STEKI 46”, a name given to it by the beneficiaries themselves, who cover their daily needs for food and clothing, KIT with material for safe use (syringes, condoms), KIT with material for protection against COVID-19 pandemic and receive counseling psychological support. The Prime Minister in his statements he referred to a “bold initiative”, the main purpose of which is to ensure the safety of users.
“This is a very bold initiative that we have taken. I am really impressed by the quality of the space and the willingness of all employees to support the users “, the Prime Minister initially stressed during his tour of the new HEX premises and then talked with former and current drug addicts, benefiting from this initiative for the usefulness and the need of XEX but also employees associated with the specific action.
“It was not – as you remember – obvious to be able to proceed to this step, to have a space of controlled use. I have excellent and very strong memories from the discussion we had today on Christmas 2018, when I promised that we would create such a place in Athens. “I think the main message we want to send is that we can not hide the problem under the rug.” noted Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“This is a place, which enables users to safely make use of drugs. I attach great importance to what the President (OKANA) told me that we will soon be able to control the quality of drugs, so that users know that what is being procured is not adulterated. And of course it is not just a space of use, there is a total support, so that we can deal with the issue holistically. It is a problem, a real problem, a problem that is with us and the first thing we need to ensure is at least the safety of users, so that they do not resort to a reality that I think is very familiar to everyone, in uncontrolled use, in squares, in other phenomena which in any case are not in line with what we would imagine in a society with elementary sensitivity “said the Prime Minister.
“It is very important for the field of dependencies to be embraced by the political leadership and the Prime Minister of the country”, noted the President of OKANA, Thanassis Theocharis, adding that “this gives us more strength and appetite to work even better and even more. You are right, we had a great fight to get to this point today. I think we have achieved a lot, we need to improve even more. We are at the disposal of the beneficiaries for everything that needs improvement, to do it. It is the first Supervised Use Area at the moment in the country with explicit and clear operating conditions “.
The Deputy Minister of Health, in charge of Mental Health, Zoe Rapti, among others, stated: “This is the first place we have here in Athens. The first space which is fixed. This was made possible by specific legislation and ministerial decisions on operating conditions. This is an area that actually helps reduce damage. It also helps addicts get psychosocial support and get into a detox program in collaboration with OKANA experts. So it will save lives. “
“It has been our constant claim for many years now to have such a place. I’m one of the people diagnosed with HIV in Outbreak 12 years ago. And it took us so long to do something self-evident “, noted Marios Atzemis, coordinator of Harm Reduction Actions of the” Positive Voice “, who had met with the Prime Minister on Christmas night in December 2018 and had also discussed the creation of a HEX . “It’s a very good start. The management of OKANA has shown very good reflexes. We are taking the first step today, but there are many cooperative steps that all stakeholders and you, Mr. President, personally. “We must all work together to significantly improve the quality of life of these people and the image in the center of Athens,” he added, among other things.
“I want to say that together with this door, we hope to open the door of society for all the people who are on the street and use psychoactive substances. The place is wonderful, from all the course I have seen – and I have seen in other countries – it is a terribly good start. We hope that these people who will come in here, will slowly begin to solve their problems, because these are people who do not even have an identity card “, noted Christos A., a former drug addict, while among other things he pointed out that” it is a very good start and the most important thing for us is the users to have a say in the decisions that concern them. There is no politics without the involvement of the affected community. “It is not possible to make decisions and do everything without asking the people who will suffer these policies.”
Myronas, beneficiary of the Supervised Use Area, focused on his own experience being the first person to use the space, while Fotis, also a beneficiary of HEX, described his own feelings: “I would like to stand in safety and in acquaintance of the world. People do not know us, because no one ever introduced us. They all hid us, because they considered us dangerous. If you take a walk in the squares, all those who are users of substances, substance addicts anyway, are harmless “, he said with Kyriakos Mitsotakis answering that” the easiest thing in these cases is just to look elsewhere. To see the man on the street and look elsewhere. “We have to be able to overcome the shock, because it is a shock – the image is a shock – to see further what you can actually do to help.” He added that “the most important thing is to start mapping people. Let people come “.
Government sources state that the new Supervised Use Area is fully equipped and staffed with an interdisciplinary team to meet the needs of the beneficiaries. In detail, XEX includes 12 specially designed positions for the injectable and / or inhaled use of pre-acquired drugs, areas for the stay of the beneficiaries, a clinic for the provision of primary care and dealing with cases of overdose, as well as a space for the provision of counseling / psychological support and interconnection of the beneficiaries with a treatment program.
The same sources remind that Kyriakos Mitsotakis had committed before the elections to proceed with the creation of the HEX, during a meeting he had with former drug addicts at Christmas 2018.
The Prime Minister was welcomed and guided to the OKANA Addicts Care Station where “STEKI 46” is housed, the Deputy Minister of Health, Zoe Rapti and the President of OKANA, Thanassis Theocharis, while the General Secretary, Socialist F. .
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