7-8 May 2020- As part of its weekly mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and COVID-19 webinar series, the Mental Health and Substance Use Unit organized two virtual seminars on substance use in the context of COVID-19. Dr. Luis Alfonzo, PAHO Regional Advisor on Substance Abuse, presented for both webinars.
The English webinar on 7 May was hosted by PAHO and the PAHO Caribbean Subregional Office. In addition to Dr. Alfonzo, Dr. Teri-Ann Joseph, PAHO/WHO Mental Health Focal Point, presented on the experience of Antigua and Barbuda. It was attended by 40 people, including members of the Caribbean MHPSS roster, Ministry of Health focal points and Caribbean subregional partners.
The Spanish webinar on 8 May was hosted by PAHO Subregional Advisors on Mental Health for Central America and the Latin Caribbean and South America. It was attended by 89 participants including Ministry of Health and PAHO mental health focal points and members of the Latin American MHPSS roster.
People with substance use disorders are at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 and suffering poorer outcomes due to a combination of demographic characteristics, adverse social determinants (such as poverty, housing insecurity and unemployment) and other concurrent health conditions. Measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic have made it more difficult for people with substance use disorders to access necessary services and medications, and the social isolation they may experience as a result of the pandemic puts them at greater risk of relapsing or overdosing. The substance use response to COVID-19 will require additional efforts from health services in order to effectively address new and existing demands for care.