GCC-STAT issues guide on indicators to combat drug abuse

MUSCAT: The Arab Gulf Countries’ Statistical Centre (GCC-STAT) has issued a metadata guide for the measurement of performance indicators related to the GCC Strategy for Combating Drugs (2025-2028).
The Centre seeks to provide a unified statistical framework for measuring and monitoring the implementation of the aforementioned strategy. It focuses on enhancing the accuracy and comparability of data among the GCC states with a view to supporting policymaking and evidence-based decision-making.
Unifying the metadata (descriptive data) for these indicators aims to build an integrated database on the status quo of drugs in GCC states. It also helps weigh the impact of preventive, therapeutic and security policies and boost GCC states’ integration and ability to combat this cross-border phenomenon.
It is worth noting that the 'Index of Treatment, Rehabilitation and Social Integration Services' measures the percentage of individuals who actually receive treatment, rehabilitation or social integration services. This index, issued annually, reflects the readiness of health and social systems to deal with drug abuse.
To assess the impact of drug abuse on public health, the index calculates the percentage of deaths resulting from drug abuse through the death rate per 100,000 people. - ONA