Medical Director of Naufar Centre Prof. Dr. Jalal Al-Tawfiq
Doha, Qatar: Medical Director of Naufar Centre Prof. Dr. Jalal Al-Tawfiq stressed the importance of adopting a human rights–based approach to addressing drug use and addiction, with a particular focus on reducing stigma.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the Fourth National Human Rights Forum, Dr. Al-Tawfiq explained that his participation in the forum comes through the presentation of a specialised paper examining human rights challenges related to drug use, especially addiction.
He noted that the core objective of his paper is to highlight how stigma remains one of the biggest barriers preventing individuals with drug-related problems from accessing treatment and receiving care with dignity.
“My main paper focuses on how we can reduce stigma surrounding drug use and addiction so we can adopt a comprehensive and healthy approach,” he said. “This approach should ensure that people who use drugs or suffer from addiction have access not only to treatment, but also to dignity.”
Addressing the broader societal challenges, Dr. Al-Tawfiq pointed out that misconceptions about drug use are not limited to one country or region, but are a global issue. He explained that drug use is often wrongly perceived as deviant behavior, while in reality addiction is a chronic mental health condition.
“Addiction, by definition, is a mental condition, a chronic mental condition,” he said. “As such, it should be approached in the same way as other chronic conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.”
He emphasised that while drugs themselves may be harmful and tightly controlled, this should not lead to the dehumanisation of people who use them. “Just because drugs are controlled, and just because drugs are harmful, those who use drugs are not evil,” he stressed.
Dr. Al-Tawfiq underlined that individuals suffering from addiction are human beings who are entitled to the same standards of care and quality of treatment as patients with any other medical condition. He concluded that this message lies at the heart of his contribution to the forum and reflects the broader goal of placing human rights at the centre of drug policy and treatment frameworks.
The Fourth National Human Rights Forum brought together policymakers, health professionals, and civil society representatives to discuss sustainable, rights-based solutions to drug-related challenges, with a strong emphasis on treatment, rehabilitation, and social reintegration.
The two-day forum is organised by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, and in cooperation with the Ministries of Social Development and Family, Education and Higher Education, and Public Health, alongside various international and civil society stakeholders.
