Workshop on alcohol screening and brief interventions in primary care settings

A workshop to strengthen capacity at the primary health care level to implement a screening programme for early detection of harmful alcohol use was held in Podgorica, Montenegro, in March 2015. Montenegro plans to implement a screening and brief intervention programme in primary health care as part of its national strategy for the prevention of alcohol abuse and alcohol-related disorders, adopted by the Government in 2012. Screening and brief interventions are recognized by WHO as cost-effective methods for reducing alcohol-related harm.

The workshop was organized by the European Commission's Directorate General European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, in cooperation with the Montenegrin Ministry of Health, within the framework of the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) instrument. Training on alcohol screening and brief interventions was provided by experts from WHO/Europe, Portugal, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.