Ashgabat, June 9, 2009 – On June 8-11, 2009, the CAPACITY project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) jointly with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan will provide a workshop on HIV education for intravenous drug users.  Outreach representatives and specialists from the Narcology Department of Turkmen State Medical Institute and the Narcology Clinic are invited to participate in the workshop.  Also attending were outreach specialists from CAPACITY project’s planned Drop-in Center, a medical counseling and social services center for those affected by illicit drug use, which will be opened in Ashgabat.

This USAID-funded workshop seeks to improve the knowledge and skills of outreach professionals in conducting programs on prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted infections among vulnerable populations.  The workshop will be led by an international consultant from the Kazakh consulting and diagnostic center “Hope”.  Sessions will include discussions on effective communication and interaction with clients.

The CAPACITY project assists the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan to develop infrastructure for a large-scale response to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic.  It represents a network of organizations working on HIV prevention and one of the many projects that the American people have made possible through USAID in Turkmenistan.  Since 1993, USAID has been working in partnership with Turkmenistan to improve health care, promote agriculture, and support community initiatives and economic growth.

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