Guest Lecture on Prevention, Treatment, and Care for Individuals with Substance Use Disorders

 

On the morning of May 15, 2025, a guest lecture entitled “From Prevention to Care in Substance Use Disorder: Lessons learned from Indonesia and Vietnam” was held in Jakarta, Indonesia. The event welcomed representatives from the Vietnam International Technology Transfer Center (V-ITTC) at Hanoi Medical University, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, ITTC Indonesia, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Indonesia (UNODC Indonesia). Conducted in a hybrid format, the lecture garnered the interest of numerous researchers, experts, students, and representatives from domestic and international organizations, with 32 participants attending in person at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia.

Mr. Ade Aulia, S.Psi, MAP, a speaker from UNODC Indonesia, delivered a presentation titled “Prevention, Treatment and Care for People Who Use Stimulant Drugs,” underscoring the vital importance of developing evidence-based interventions, expanding community outreach, and fostering cross-sector collaboration to enhance support for individuals affected by substance use.

Associate Professor Dr. Le Minh Giang, MD, PhD, a speaker from V-ITTC – Dean of School of Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Deputy Director of the Center for Training and Research on Substance Abuse – HIV (CREATA-H) at Hanoi Medical University – presented on “Expanding Treatment Options for People with Substance Use Disorders: Lessons Learned from Vietnam”.

With a solid professional foundation and extensive experience in research and community-based interventions, Dr. Giang shared Vietnam’s significant achievements in substance abuse treatment. He highlighted the country’s progress in reducing stigma toward people who use drugs and the implementation of evidence-based, contextually sustainable intervention models across various localities.

The guest lecture was successfully concluded, providing a valuable platform for experts and researchers from Vietnam and Indonesia to exchange knowledge and practical insights in substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and care. The event served as a meaningful step toward fostering mutual understanding and strengthening international cooperation in efforts to reduce drug demand and address related challenges in Vietnam, Indonesia, and the broader Southeast Asian region.