Day 2 :
Keynote Forum
Jaswinder Singh Gandhi
Amrit Foundation of India, India
Keynote: Role of addiction specialists in prevention of opioid overdose deaths
Time : 10:00-10:45
Biography:
Jaswinder Singh Gandhi has completed his Fellowship and is a Certified Drug De-addiction Specialist. He has 15 years of experience in drug addiction field. He is a Member of ASAM, NAADAC, ISAM, IPS, IMA, ISA, ISCCM and ISSM. He is certified by International Society of Addiction Medicine in Substance Use Disorders. He has attended many national and international conferences. He has written two books against drug addiction and developed an interactive software SANTAM helping patients as well as physicians in diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorder.
Abstract:
Recently there has been epidemic of opioid use disorders in certain parts of world and hence the mortality associated with opioid overdose. Different studies show that opioid overdose is generally witnessed; death takes a while and is generally due to respiratory failure. Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder where even a recovering patient can relapse anytime and die of opioid overdose. Considering the fact that a large number of OUD patients come to addiction specialist for treatment, these physicians can play a major role in reducing the mortality of OUD by educating the patients and their significant others against opioid overdose and prescribing Naloxone to them in addition to other addiction medicines. They can keep Naloxone at a safe place and use it in case they witness an opioid overdose and save a life. Naloxone a pure opioid antagonist is very safe, reliable, cheap, easily available and fast acting drug. Naloxone causes reversal of sedation and respiratory depression associated with opioid overdose within minutes and it has no side effects of its own even in higher doses. Recently newer preparation of Naloxone in the form of nasal spray (Narcan) has been approved by FDA to prevent overdose deaths. In some developed countries Naloxone dispensing program is being practiced widely and they have been able to minimize the mortality associated with opioid overdose. Also there is Good Samaritan law being implemented in these countries where even a layman can give Naloxone in case of witnessed opioid overdose. Unfortunately in certain parts of world including India there is yet no hold of OEND even in tertiary health care centers.
Keynote Forum
Walid Hassan Ebrahim Hassan
Ministry of Health, Sultanate of Oman
Keynote: After drug legalization in Canada; Could the Arab countries be next?
Time : 10:45-11:30
Biography:
Walid Hassan Ebrahim Hassan has completed his Hubert Humphrey Fellowship in the field of Substance Abuse Education and is a Certified Tobacco Dependence Treatment Specialist. He has completed his MBBCh, Msc in Neurology and Psychiatry & MD in Psychiatry from Ain Shams University, Egypt. He worked as a Consultant and Lecturer of Psychiatry at Institue of Psychiatry from Ain Shams Univesity, Egypt. Currently, he is working as a Psychiatrist at Ministry of Health, Sultanate of Oman.
Abstract:
Few weeks ago, Canada has legalized the marijuana for recreational use, making it the second country in the world after Uruguay to take such step. Some politicians would argue that after drug legalization, countries would not only benefit from the taxes applied to the retail shops, but also there will be increase in the expenditure on the treatment programs. Moreover, this may lower the drug related crimes creating more safe societies. On the other hand, there is potential effect that legalization may promote the adolescent use as it will be more available, more social acceptance, and cheaper prices. Legalization may likewise encourage the introduction of new formulations of marijuana (edible, vaporized) and with conceivably higher potencies. Would it be expected to have such discussions in Arab countries soon and what should be our role as health care providers.