DUSHANBE, July 22, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- On Monday July 20, the EU-UNDP Central Asia Drug Action Program (CADAP) handed over specialized equipment for the toxicology laboratory under the Forensic Medical Departments of the Tajik Ministry of Health, according to the Delegation of the European Commission in Tajikistan.

The equipment (rapid thin layer chromatography system including reagents and calibration standards) will be used for drug detection and drug identification in humans.  Use of the equipment is relatively simple and will significantly speed up the analysis of the presence of drugs and the results will be more reliable and reproducible.

The total cost of the equipment was €17,000.

A training course on using the equipment will be held in Dushanbe for staff of the toxicology laboratory in August 2009.

The overall objective of the EU-UNDP CADAP Program is to foster a public health approach to drug demand and addiction, with an interdiction approach to drug supply in line with European Commission drug strategies.

CADAP is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP.