Sisa: Cocaine of the Poor

We are re-posting below the video produced by Vice UK on the prevalence of a new, cheap addictive drug in crisis-hit Greece. The report was prepared by Henry Langston, Elektra Kotsoni and Alex Miller. Radiobubble friend Yiannis Baboulias worked as an assistant on this project.

Part 1




Part 2



You can also read the text companion to the video, prepared by Alex Miller, here.

OKANA running low on methadone amid lack of funds

The Greek Organisation Against Drugs (OKANA) faces the risk of running out of methadone, due to delays in deliveries by the Institute of Pharmaceutical Research & Technology (IFET). According to news website tvxs.gr  the medicine's reserves can hardly last for a week. However even a 10-day supply delay could have a severe knock-on effect on patients receiving substance abuse treatment. 

OKANA chief, Meni Malliori confirmed that extra orders of methadone should be delivered after May 20, but there will be efforts to secure an emergency supply to cover one month's needs.

@inflammatory_

MSF: Another dangerous intervention in the name of humanity and public health

Translation of the statement released by Doctors Without Borders in response to the Thetis sweep operation of intravenous drug users. 

The involvement of public healthcare actors in Greek Police’s “sweep” operations is contrary to medical ethics.

We at Doctors Without Borders express our deep opposition to the sweep operations conducted by the Hellenic Police, such as the one carried out on the night of 5 to 6 March to transfer drug addicts to police facilities in Amygdaleza.  According to the authorities, this operation, which involved the participation of public health authorities (Ministry of Health, National Health Operations Centre and Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) was aiming at controlling drug trafficking in the centre of Athens, together with “medical-humanitarian action” i.e. to provide medical services and “registration” for the persons taken in custody (men and women, of Greek and non-Greek origin).

“Public health cannot be promoted through police-led medical screenings and services” says Willem DeJonge, General Director of the Greek section of MSF, adding: “Public health can be effectively safeguarded and promoted as long as the populations most in need have adequate access to healthcare services and to effective public healthcare programs. It is promoted only when the medical needs of all social groups are met –people lacking health insurance, drug users, homeless people, regardless of their origin”.

The amendment of Greek Presidential Decree 114/2010 - included in the law governing “Electronic communications, Transports and Public Works Regulations and other decrees” introduced on April 9 2012 - foresees “mandatory health screenings of persons who suffer from communicable diseases or belong to groups vulnerable to communicable diseases, and their detention in health structures on the grounds that these persons are a danger to public health”. According to this same piece of legislation “the at-risk factor is defined as persons who suffer from communicable diseases or belong to population groups vulnerable to communicable diseases, mainly due to their country of origin or the use of intravenous illegal substances, or the fact that they are a sex workers…, or that their living conditions that do not abide to basic rules of hygiene”.

At MSF, we argue that public health is an issue of state responsibility. Individuals are at risk, rather than the risk, in the absence of comprehensive State public health policies and interventions which are adequately implemented. MSF calls upon the relevant authorities to change the law and sanitary regulations  and safeguard unhindered access to health care for all vulnerable population groups. This can only be achieved through well-planned and coherent medical services, outside the sphere of action of the police.

#rbnews weekly bulletin 02-08 March 2013

The text companion to this week's #rbnews international show is now online. You can read it after the jump.

rbnews international show 16 February 2013: HIV/AIDS as an electoral argument in Greece

This week on #rbnews international, we interviewed at length radiobubble contributor Zoe Mavroudi, who is leading an effort to produce and direct a video documentary on the story of the 26 HIV positive women who were arrested shortly before the May 2012 elections, labeled as prostitutes and paraded on TV channels with claims from the Greek authorities that they were a threat to public health.
This documentary project is supported by the British union Unite as well as the organization Union Solidarity International. You can make a donation to support this project through the Greek Solidarity Campaign on the USI website. You can also read some of Zoe's writing about this topic here, here and here. Finally, if you want to support other radiobubble projects, you can make a donation here.

The podcast is available, as usual, after the jump.

Human Rights Group rings alarm bell for HIV Positive women held in prison

By @zoemavroudi

“Their lives are in danger.” Human Rights Group rings alarm bell for HIV Positive women held in prison for alleged threat to public health

On April 29 2012, shortly before the Greek May 6 election, dozens of women allegedly working illegally as sex workers were rounded up and taken into custody by Greek police in Athens. Rapid HIV testing was performed on them by Greek authorities at police stations where they were told they were being led for identification purposes. They were subsequently diagnosed HIV positive and were charged with “the intention of causing heavy bodily harm” while photographs of 17 of them at first, were published on the official Greek police website.

The case has caused uproar both in Greece and internationally for what human rights groups have called a clear violation of international laws for the protection from the deprivation of one’s freedom, right to consent to medical testing and medical confidentiality.

Sex, hypocrisy and elections

By @inflammatory_


Greek authorities  released  the name and pictures (along with other personal info) of 17 HIV- positive sex workers, who allegedly provided their services illegally, accusing them for intentional bodily harm. The incident attracted media attention and the women swiftly became subject of mockery, making headlines as “public health time bomb”. In an attempt to crackdown unlicensed brothels  prior to the elections, hundreds of sex workers across the country are being screened for the virus by the state-run Center for Diseases’ Control & Prevention (NCDC). The agency has been reportedly receiving numerous telephone inquiries about sex and safety issues from men seeking to be tested as well. In an interview at Net Radio, Health Minister Andreas Loverdos underlined the severity of  ”AIDS time bomb” which “has now spread outside immigrant ghettos“, although he did his best to tackle the issue on time.
We are used to seeing the familiar narrative of a “social menace” that requires state and media intervention to protect citizens from “disaster”. It’s the backbone of  ”fear culture” and this story of foreign sex workers who were found to be HIV-positive, triggered racist comments against them. However human rights advocates condemned the violation of medical confidentiality and the ruthless stigmatization of women, with apparent signs of abuse, who sell their body for a living. Following undocumented immigrants, sex workers come to fill the “scapegoat scenario” that stirs up media frenzy in an attempt to boost falling popularity ratings of PASOK leaders. It is estimated though that there won’t be a clear winner on tomorrow’s elections and the country might go for a second round within months.