The Pan African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (PAENDU) was established in 2015 with the support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), US State Department, in response to lack of data to inform the review of legislative, policy and operational and responses to public health challenges due to increased trafficking, production and use of various drugs including New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and others not subject to international regulations. PAENDU aims to address the lack of harmonized and reliable drug use data by promoting systematic data collection, analysis, and reporting through connecting national drug epidemiological networks on one platform
- National drug epidemiology networks from 33 African countries have been linked to the Pan African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use
- The Project has facilitated the establishment and capacity building of national drug epidemiology networks in 33 African Union Member States
- Three continental reports on drug epidemiology were produced
- The project has trained national focal persons on drug epidemiology from 46 out of 55 African Union Member States annually since 2016
- In country preparatory assessment missions to identify stakeholders and secure their buy in as well as to identify possible data sources prior to establishment of national epidemiology networks
- Compilation of continental drug epidemiology report (PAENDU) and validation
- Annual one week long continental consultations and training on national drug epidemiology focal persons
- Follow-up technical assistance and mentoring in the operationalization of national epidemiology networks Establish & Operationalize national epi networks.
- Develop Drug Epidemiology Online (E-learning) Training modules & platform
- Develop an Online Data Collection Platform
- Organise 3 day Continental Technical Experts Consultation/training for Drug Epidemiology National Focal Points
- Organise 3 day Annual Continental Technical Experts Consultation for DDR National FP
- Professional development of staff for prevention, treatment and care of Substance Use Disorders
- Project management oversight and reporting.
- Increased adoption of evidenced-based & community-led policies hinged on available data to address illicit drug trafficking, related organized crime & drug abuse.
- Reduced Drug Demand & Increased Drug Supply Reduction (DSR) in Member States.
- Improved health and socio-economic well-being through evidence-based policy (prevention, treatment and care) for SUDs.
- Improved policy, advocacy, oversight & coordination capacity of AUC on Drug Control and Crime Prevention.
- Strengthened collaboration and partnerships
- Shared experiences
- Enhanced data collection and reporting
- Strengthened collaboration and partnerships
- Expansion of evidence-based and quality drug treatment centers
- Tailored interventions informed by increased drug epidemiology data
- Increased number of Prevention and Treatment professionals National Epidemiology
- Networks established in three additional countries.
- National & Regional Drug Surveillance systems strengthened
- Increased knowledge and skills in data collection, collation, dissemination& analysis for PAENDU
- Increased inter & Intra-agency collaboration on DDR & Drug Control.
Eritrea, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe were not in initial phases of the project but willingly joined the PAENDU. The project is expected to cover all the 55 countries on the African Continent.
Olubusayo Akinola, African Union Commission, AkinolaO [at] africa-union [dot] org (AkinolaO[at]africa-union[dot]org) Abel Basutu, African Union Commission, BasutuA [at] africa-union [dot] org (BasutuA[at]africa-union[dot]org); Abiola Olaleye, African Union Commission OlaleyeA [at] africa-union [dot] org (OlaleyeA[at]africa-union[dot]org). Website: https://au.int/
