Models of Partnerships for Professional Development in the Area of Drug Phenomenon in the Americas: CICAD/OAS Experience

Globalization process has direct or indirect impact on the drug phenomenon by increasing drug trafficking, facilitates money laundering, and increases drug use among different population groups, transforming drug phenomenon in a global problem. National policy emphasizes the importance of reducing drug use, specialy, among injecting drug users, which becomes a high risk group for HIV/AIDS. Developing countries face a lack of very well trained professionals to be able to work, teach and do research in the different aspects of the drug phenomenon in Latin America and the Caribbean Region. CICAD, for the last twenty years, has assumed the responsibility and challenge to develop innovative models of partnerships with universities, research centers and other organizations through out the Americas to assist Latin America and the Caribbean countries to dimish the impact of this situation. The purpose of this presentation is to share the results and experiences of CICAD/OAS in developing different models of partnerships with universities, research centers, international organizations and national drug control commissions to train health and other professionals to work, teach and do research in the area of drug phenomenon.