Advocacy at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs:
Do we really appreciate what all it takes to ensure that you and I have access to pain relief when we need it?
Well, among many other things, sustained advocacy at the international level as well as at the national level in numerous countries.
Ms. Katherine Pettus, advocacy officer at the International Association For Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) writes in the April issue of IAHPC Newsletter:
“The March advocacy highlight was the annual meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna, which also happened to be the 60th anniversary or ‘Diamond Jubilee’ of the CND. For many of us involved in advocacy, especially those who work on improving access to controlled medicines, this meeting marked a banner year, coming after the historic 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) meeting on drugs last April. Like couples who have survived and matured through sixty years of marriage, the Commission can celebrate its maturing relationship with civil society organizations that have worked tirelessly over recent decades to change the focus of international drug policy from a punitive, criminal justice oriented approach, to one that is person-centered and that prioritizes public health outcomes such as improved access to medicines for pain and palliative care.”
You can read the full report here.
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