VIENNA, 17 March 2014 – The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) commends the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, on his speech at the High-Level Segment of the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) which opened here Thursday. The United Nations CND is an annual event held at the United Nations Office in Vienna, Austria, bringing together government delegates from all over the world to discuss developments in drug laws and policies worldwide and in their respective countries.

In his speech, Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi highlighted the success of the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) Cure & Care Centres in delivering methadone maintenance therapy to treat drug dependency which has received global praise and attention. He also remarked that the Government has now embarked on a collaboration with MAC to introduce medicines in police custody, in particular antiretroviral medicines for HIV and methadone.

The Malaysian delegation is headed by the esteemed Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, and made up of representatives from key organisations in the national drug response, including Tuan Jamaludin Kudin, Deputy Director of Narcotics in the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), and Evawani Farisyta Mohammad, Deputy Prosecutor of the Attorney General’s Chambers, as well as Dato’ Selwyn Das, Malaysian Ambassador to Austria. Malaysian civil society is represented by Fifa Rahman, MAC Policy Manager.

Datuk Dr Raj Karim, MAC President, acknowledged Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi’s statement which demonstrated the Government’s strong commitment to improving access to HIV treatment and medical care for people who use drugs. “We are pleased to see that our national response to HIV and drugs continues to informed by scientific evidence and guided by rights-based principles, as we look towards enhancing the collaboration with law enforcement agencies and other relevant authorities,” she said.

Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, an Executive Committee Member of MAC who is also Director of the Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS (CERiA) at the University of Malaya, corroborated Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi’s statement with findings of a research conducted last year on the outcome of AADK Cure & Care Centres. “In a sample of people who use drugs receiving treatment from Cure & Care, more than 72 per cent improved their family relations, obtained permanent homes and stayed out of prisons. This goes to show just how methadone maintenance treatment in a voluntary, supportive environment can be. The authorities ought to expand the service especially to more vulnerable and hidden drug users,” she explained.

CND plays a principal role as one of the United Nations organs with prime responsibility for drug control matters. The 57th CND Session will last until 21 March 2014.

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Malaysian AIDS Council

The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) was established in 1992 to serve as an umbrella organisation to support and coordinate the efforts of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working on HIV/AIDS issues in Malaysia. MAC works in close partnership with government agencies, the private sector and international organisations, to ensure a committed and effective NGO-led response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In addition to providing nationwide coverage of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services, MAC and its Partner Organisations serve as the common voice for communities most affected by HIV/AIDS in the country. Learn more at www.mac.org.my.

Contact

Media & Communications Department, Malaysian AIDS Council

Zaki Arzmi │ +6016 292 2948 │ [email protected]

Meera Abi │ +6016 414 6400 │ [email protected]