Level of drug addiction in Kyrgyzstan decreased

Level of drug addiction in Kyrgyzstan is declining and the number of self-help groups is growing, the Ministry of Health reports.

According to the ministry, for the first six months, there was a decrease of 16.1 percent. There have been registered 148 new cases of drug addiction, when in 2016, 174 cases were registered.

One of the programs working to reduce the harm of drug addiction and HIV in Kyrgyzstan is the opioid substitution therapy program with methadone. Today, there are more than 30 drug pick-up points in the country, including the penitentiary system.

The potential of self-help groups for people who inject drugs increases.