Abu Dhabi will host the International Society for Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) Conference from Thursday onwards.

This is the first time the meeting of international experts to counter substance abuse will be held in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region and it will be organised at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) from May 12 to 16. Hosted by the National Rehabilitation Center (NRC), in partnership with United States Department of State: Bureau of Intl Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) and International Society for Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP), the conference will focus on the theme, ‘Uniting the global community to face the challenge of addiction’.

“This conference seeks to build a global network of strategic partnerships between organisations and specialists in the field of substance-use disorders. It constitutes a unique opportunity to share knowledge about scientific and research developments in this field, as well as up-to-date effective interventions and best practices,” said Dr Hamad Al Ghafri, NRC director general.

“More than 1,000 specialists and researchers in the fields of substance-use disorders from all over the world will participate in the conference, with more than 80 sub-plenaries dedicated to the latest research and studies. The conference will be accompanied by 25 workshops and 15 accredited training programmes in all disciplines related to prevention, treatment and rehabilitation for five days, in addition to the seven-day online conference with a total of 150 hours of broadcast. This makes it one of the longest online conferences in the field of substance use disorders,” he added.

The National Rehabilitation Center (NRC) will itself participate in the conference by presenting seven scientific research and studies. The studies discuss smoking patterns in patients receiving treatment at the NRC, the demographic profile and predictors of substance-use disorders, evaluation of training on the Universal Prevention Curriculum for substance abuse, addiction nursing in the Arab world, individual stigma to substance use, the behavioural addictions among clinic attendees, and substance use and the role of families.

“The conference is the first scientific International event of this magnitude in the field of substance-abuse since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that this event is happening in Abu Dhabi demonstrates the international confidence in the UAE and Abu Dhabi after the success achieved in controlling the pandemic. It highlights Abu Dhabi’s outstanding infrastructure, which enables it to host international events in various sectors, especially the health sector. The conference attracts the world’s attention to the medical tourism in Abu Dhabi and reflects the emirate’s keenness to provide the latest medical practices and techniques based on scientific research and innovation in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of substance use,” Dr Al Ghafri said.

The ISSUP is a membership organisation that connects, unites and provides knowledge to global substance-abuse prevention, treatment and recovery support workforce. The NRC hosts the UAE National Chapter of ISSUP.