By The Star Staff
With the purpose of building a health culture and addressing substance use, its implications and the opioid crisis, the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) will hold the First Opioid Summit today from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the UPR Theater in Carolina.
“The summit aims to train professionals who provide services related to prevention and safety in universities, including substance and opioid use,” said UPR President Dr. Luis A. Ferrao Delgado. “The opioid crisis is one of the greatest public health threats of our time. The UPR seeks to address this problem from an interdisciplinary and collaborative perspective, bringing together experts from various areas to explore effective and lasting solutions.”
He stressed the importance of addressing the problem of substance use disorders and focusing on the opioid crisis, which he describes as “one of the greatest social challenges due to its detrimental effects on health and human behavior.”
The Institute of Research, Education and Services in Addiction, which is attached to Central University of the Caribbean, as well as the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services at UPR-Arecibo will be among the participants.
“At UPR we are committed to fostering a culture of prevention and well-being within the institution, emphasizing that prevention is a collective task to address the problem of drug abuse,” Ferrao Delgado said. “We need to actively address the issue of substance use disorders and work together on drug abuse prevention.”
Dr. Mayra B. Charriez, vice president of student affairs at UPR, added that “the summit aims to build a healthy culture, addressing substance use disorder and its implications.”
“It also represents an opportunity to advocate for public health policies and practices that promote well-being and recovery,” she said. “We hope this initiative will inspire concrete action and contribute to improving the quality of life for our community and all those affected by the opioid epidemic.”