Montenegro does not have precise data on the number of people who died from overdoses, although data from non-governmental organizations indicate that only in the last few months, fifteen people have died as a result of drug consumption.
The Institute for Public Health (IJZ) replied to the "News" that overdose deaths are classified as violent deaths, which are the responsibility of the MUP and that a multisectoral and special approach is needed in the methodology of management and reporting on deaths due to this cause. That agency maintains cause-of-death statistics and a drug addiction registry, but they say it's not a sufficient source for tracking and reporting overdose deaths. The MUP did not answer whether they keep records of overdose deaths and how many such cases are registered annually in Montenegro.
IJZ: The register of drug addiction is not enough
The IJZ points out that within their jurisdiction they keep records in the field of health, including the statistics of deaths according to causes of death and the register of drug addiction.
"Death statistics are kept according to the basic causes of death, in such a way that health institutions (hospitals and the Institute for Emergency Medical Assistance), in accordance with the law, submit death certificates to the Institute, which further processes and processes the data from the received death certificates and compiles the annual the report on deaths according to coded basic causes of death in accordance with the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), age categories and sex of the deceased", says the IJZ.
They point out that more detailed analysis, including autopsy, toxicological and other analyses, is needed for more detailed data on overdose deaths.
"In this sense, the method of keeping statistics of deaths in the Institute is not a sufficient source for monitoring and reporting on deaths due to overdose", said the IJZ.
They claim that the registry of drug addiction collects reports exclusively from health institutions, if the person addicted to psychoactive substances was treated, which does not reflect the overall picture of users of psychoactive substances and the manner of death, if such an outcome occurred.
"User registration in the register is also one of the problems pointing to its incompleteness, because applications are sent out of time. "Deaths from overdoses are classified as violent deaths, which are primarily the responsibility of the MUP, so a multi-sectoral and special approach is needed in the methodology of management and reporting on deaths due to overdoses", concludes the IJZ.
NGOs get data from the field
The non-governmental organizations Juventas and the Montenegrin harm reduction network LINK announced at the beginning of September that at least ten people died of overdoses in Podgorica and Bar in the past few months.
In a statement to the Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG), which recently published research on the problem of drug abuse and "fentanyl" - a painkiller, LINK claims that fifteen people lost their lives due to overdose.
LINK representative Marko Dragicevic a few months ago, on the occasion of the International Overdose Awareness Day, he said that they have the data on the number of deaths from the field, because there is no registry in Montenegro that would register death due to overdose.
"... We don't have any concrete data or indicators that would show us how many people die from overdose each year. That's why we've been marking this campaign for years, because this problem is not talked about," said Dragićević.
He assessed that this problem is present in Montenegrin society, but that society and institutions behave as if it does not exist.
Representative of NGO Juventas, Marija Radovic speaking about the ways in which it is possible to influence the reduction of deaths in case of overdose, said that it is necessary to introduce the wider use of the drug "naloxone", which prevents overdose with opiates.
"Currently, in Montenegro, this medicine is available only in health institutions, it is given by injection by trained health personnel. However, in the world there is the possibility of using nasal 'naloxone', a spray that is injected into the nostrils and is therefore suitable for use by drug users themselves, as well as their family members, friends and other close people who can be found nearby those who experience an overdose, and in a large number of cases, they prevent death," said Radović.
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