HEALTH POLICY 2
Health Policy
The UNODC has been at the pole position in fighting the global opioid crisis by
initiating strategies in light of protecting public health. Precisely, an organization-wide strategy
has recently been initiated by UNODC to help countries across the globe tackle opioid crisis
through a multidisciplinary and integrated initiative that tackles opioid supply, supports access of
opioid for scientific purposes, and prevent diversion and misuse of related drugs. Given the
prevalence of the crisis at the global level as evidenced by increasing rates of opioid-related
fatalities, the policy has solemnly been solicited by international organizations such as UNODC
and INCB. In this light, other global projects have likewise been initiated to counter the public
health threat posed by the drugs (INCB, 2018).
Government agencies, healthcare organizations and communities have all been engaged
in support of such programs. These stakeholders have all been focused on prevention, harm
reduction, enforcement and treatment. The stakeholders for championing the policy at the
international landscape are nurses. As frontline providers, nurses ought to fully embrace
the stipulated guidelines under the policy. Likewise, they need to be knowledgeable and keep
abreast of the associated implications with prescribing and administering opioids (Wakeland,
Nielsen & Geissert, 2015). Interdisciplinary teams comprising of nurse practitioners, bedside
nurses and other practitioners such as physicians and their assistant also should be involved in
establishing a strong understanding of inopportune usage and misapplication of opioid
analgesia.
Current review and examination of existing opioid policies however reveal that there are
considerable inconsistencies with the policy’s regulations and guidelines with most provisions

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