A PLEDGE FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN THE TREATMENT OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE: ALIGNING WITH GLOBAL STANDARDS

 By Cuma Pantshwa

• South Africa is strengthening its commitment to improving the quality of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services by standardising norms and aligning with international standards.
• At the 67th Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in March 2024, South Africa pledged to enhance treatment centres under the PLEDGE 4 ACTION initiative, addressing challenges like outdated guidelines, limited access, and quality issues in SUD treatment.
• The country is focused on protecting the human rights of individuals and ensuring equal access to quality care, in line with the Constitution and international best practices.

In a significant move towards combating substance use disorders, South Africa has committed to continuous improvement in its treatment of substance abuse. Speaking at the 67th Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in March 2024, Ms Vathiswa Dlangamandla, Deputy Director of Substance Abuse Policy at the Department of Social Development, stated, “Through the PLEDGE 4 ACTION initiative, we are committed to enhancing our treatment centres. As a country grappling with substance use disorders, we have our own challenges to address, including the quality of SUD treatment services.”

South Africa’s substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system faces numerous challenges, including limited access, quality concerns, and workforce issues. As part of the pledge, the country aims to standardise its Norms and Standards for treatment. “We are here to review and standardise our Norms and Standards because the guidelines we are implementing for in-patient treatment services were developed a long time ago, and some are not aligned with current changes in the field,” Dlangamandla explained. Key areas under review include the terminology used in treatment (e.g., shifting from ‘Substance Abuse’ to ‘Substance Use Disorders’), a holistic treatment approach incorporating medical and mental health assessments, and expanding services to rural communities.

Highlighting the importance of protecting human rights in the treatment of SUDs, Dlangamandla noted that individuals and their families are guaranteed rights under South Africa’s Constitution, including non-discriminatory access to healthcare. “Patients, their families, and caregivers are protected under South Africa’s Constitution, with their rights outlined in the Bill of Rights and Health Rights Charter,” she said, stressing that equal access to quality care must be upheld at all treatment centres.

“It’s the standards that guide us and ensure that the services we provide are of high quality. As a member state, the goal is to standardise and align with the global community and United Nations, contributing positively towards the regulation of our treatment centres, including the conduct of staff, the state of the facilities, and ensuring clients are in conducive environments for better treatment outcomes,” detailed Dlangamandla.

Adrie Vermeulen, National Coordinator at the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA), echoed this sentiment, stating, “We are a collective group of stakeholders working together for the same cause and aiming to improve our treatment system, the level of quality assurance we envision, and the service for our clients. Standardisation means we are aligned and moving in the same direction with the world.”

The workshop’s outcome will be the formulation and establishment of a national quality assurance team tasked with planning and developing mechanisms for quality assurance in the treatment of drug use and substance use disorders across South Africa.