Both in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim, large crowds marched in torchlight processions against what they believe is the destruction of the drug field.
– There are many of us who are demonstrating in Oslo and Trondheim tonight, because we believe that the treatment offer should not only be measured in kroner and øre, but in quality of life and improvement. We need a tender process that values the diverse and knowledgeable work that is carried out in the field, says general manager of Tyrili, Jonas Finnby.
The torchlight procession in Oslo started at the tiger outside Østbanehallen and ended outside the Storting with appeals and slogans.
Thinks the tender must be put on hold
Health south-east announced in mid-October that 14 private actors had been offered to enter into an agreement to run drug treatment. Twelve of them are non-profit and two are commercial.
Part of the background is that the so-called free choice of treatment has been discontinued. Instead, Helse south-east has invited tenders for the drug treatment that they believe is needed.
On Wednesday, however, the health authority stated that they have decided to reopen the competition for drug treatment.
Tyrili, who was one of the organizations that took part in the torchlight procession and which was not offered to enter into an agreement to run drug treatment, believes that the tender must be canceled and put on hold until the quality of drug treatment has been investigated.
– Helse south-east’s choice to reopen the tender, without changing the focus from cost to quality, threatens to undermine the work we are set to do, says Finnby.
Asks the Minister to intervene
In a press release from the organizers of the torchlight procession, it is stated that a united drug field is reacting strongly to the downsizing of the treatment offer for drug addicts that is happening now.
They fear that as many as 400 long-term 24-hour places could disappear in just two years.
The organizations have previously rallied behind a petition in which they have asked the Minister of Health Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) to intervene and save vital services for drug addicts.
The organizers of the torchlight processions were Preventio, Actis, the Main Organization of the Drug Field, the Foreningen for Human Drug Policy, RIO – a nationwide user organization in the drug field, A-alarm Bruker- og Pårørendeorganisation, ProLAR Nett-national association for people in LAR, and Ivareta, Children of Drug Abusers.