Taib Abdulrahman Basheeib Kenya Shaping Harm Reduction in East Africa

1. TaibAbdulrahmanBasheeibKenyaShaping Harm Reduction in East Africa

2. Background • An epidemic of injection drug use has spread rapidly down the East Coast of Africa adding to the complications of a generalized HIV epidemic • Injecting drug use has also been reported in Kenya, Zanzibar and Tanzania as wide spreading and appear to be pushing back the gains made in fighting HIV/AIDS.

3. East Africa

4. Kenyan Epidemic • Kenya epidemic - generalized epidemic among the mainstream population, and a concentrated epidemic among specific most-at-risk populations.

5. Epidemic – Kenya

6. Progress • Kenya National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan 2009-2013 (KNASP III). • Development of Country MARPs program – NSP, OST, KHRN • Formation of multi-sectoral technical working group • Situation analysis and size estimates of MARPS • Soliciting political support from lawmakers • Global Fund support for biomedical interventions for PWID

8. Challenges • Stigma and social discrimination towards PWID • Limited technical capacity to implementing agencies • Drug policies are still very punitive and there is widespread misunderstanding of and hostility to harm reduction programs • Limited funding

9. Recommendation/Conclusion • Scaling up Outreach program • Enhance policy advocacy and lobby in the government structures • Promote community participation to strengthen ownership • Need for innovative ways to bring ARVs to PWID to improve health outcomes and avoid resistance

10. Thank You