Program of International Research and Training (PIRT)
NDARC Staff
Kate Dolan, Alex Wodak, Richard Mattick and Sarah Larney.
Rationale
In 2002 NDARC established the Program of International Research and Training (PIRT) under the management of Associate Professor Kate Dolan. PIRT functions as the international arm of NDARC’s core business. To date the activities of this program have focused on developing and transitional countries.
Aims
To facilitate research and training to minimise the harms from drug use and to increase the effectiveness of drug treatment internationally by:
- building capacity into research in drug treatment within developing countries
- building capacity for monitoring drug use and drug problems in developing countries
- building alliances between Australia and developing countries in terms of understanding drug trends and law enforcement
- encouraging policy relevant research consistent with national strategies and cultures
Design and Method
PIRT works on a range of issues encompassing licit and illicit drug use and related harms. The geographical focus of our work is the Asia-Pacific region. Particular areas of specialisation include:
- HIV prevention for injecting drug users
- methadone maintenance treatment in community and prison settings
- HIV prevention in prisons and other closed settings
Research
PIRT conducts original research and encourages collaboration with international partner organisations. PIRT staff have conducted rapid assessments of drug use and HIV in community and prison settings. Examples of past and current research projects include:
- a literature review to identify 50 key documents on HIV prevention, treatment and care for injecting drug users. This project was conducted for the International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA), with funding from AVERT.
- a qualitative study of the process by which We Help Ourselves, an abstinence-based therapeutic community, introduced harm reduction strategies into their service model. This project was funded by the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office.
- a rapid assessment of drug use, HIV prevalence and HIV risk behaviours in prisons in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2005.
- a rapid assessment HIV/AIDS and drug use in Mongolia in 2006.
- a report on drug demand reduction strategies in closed settings in China, Indonesia and Vietnam. 'Closed settings' is a term encompassing prisons, work camps and compulsory drug treatment centres. This report will identify the various drug education and treatment programs available to detainees of closed settings in these three countries. This project is funded by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Centre (UNODC) for East Asia.
- a report on HIV prevention, treatment and care (PTC) in prisons in India, Indonesia, Thailand and Nepal. This comprehensive report includes an introduction to the issues of HIV PTC in prison; an analysis of HIV PTC in prisons in each of the above countries; a regional summary of HIV PTC; and recommendations for improving HIV PTC in prisons. This project was funded by the World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office.
- production of a training manual on harm reduction, drug use and HIV prevention for the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO WPRO).
- funded by the Drosos Foundation and in collaboration with the Iran Prisons Organisation, The Persepolis Centre and the Iran National Centre of Addiction Studies, the establishment of a primary health care centre with MMT for female IDUs in Tehran, Iran in 2007.
- development of guidelines for drug detoxification management and drug dependency treatment in closed settings in South-East Asia. This project is funded by WHO WPRO and completion is expected by mid-2007.
Training
PIRT is actively involved in providing training to health care workers, law enforcement personnel and researchers. PIRT trainers have conducted courses in Australia, Indonesia, Iran, Taiwan and Cambodia. Broadly, training programs focus on HIV prevention and harm reduction for injecting drug users. Areas of training expertise include:
- drug treatment, in particular, substitution treatment
- needle and syringe programs
- outreach to injecting drug users
- HIV prevention and harm reduction in prison
- monitoring and evaluation
- research dissemination
Funding
Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Additional project funding from various international sources including United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Health Organisation, Family Health International and The Drosos Foundation