Afrigather Gombe, 4 July, 2024 — In a strategic transfer to deal with the rising considerations of drug abuse and its related well being dangers, Gombe State has launched a complete hurt discount program for individuals who inject medication (PWID).
This initiative, backed by the World Well being Group (WHO) and a number of other key companions, goals to offer vital help and providers to mitigate the well being dangers related to drug use by decreasing the unfold of infectious ailments, like Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), viral hepatitis and different blood-borne infections.
Hurt discount refers to a set of sensible methods and concepts geared toward decreasing the detrimental penalties related to injecting medication or drug use.
Private story
Mr Adamu Sani a drug person who has been benefiting from the hurt discount program for 3 years, shares his harrowing journey by means of dependancy and his path to restoration. “I began utilizing medication at a younger age,” he remembers. Adamu’s life took a optimistic flip when he encountered the hurt discount program. “The help I acquired was life-changing. I not solely get medical assist but in addition counselling and a help community that understands my struggles.”
Right this moment, Adamu advisable others like him who inject medication into the protected service program. The hurt discount program
“Hurt discount is part of the method adopted to enhance the standard of well being providers and maintain the features which were made in addressing HIV within the state, says Gombe State Commissioner of Well being, Dr Habu Dahiru.
Dr Dahiru, in his speech in the course of the inauguration of the state Technical Working Group (TWG), explains that the federal government in collaboration with companions, together with america President Emergency Plan for AIDS Aid (PEPFAR), International Funds, Civil society organizations, and affected person teams will help the implementation of this system to make sure nobody is left behind in accessing wanted HIV and hurt discount providers.
Earlier than the inauguration of the TWG, the hurt discount program had been operating within the state for 3 years with the help of growth companions.
To date about 3,900 injecting drug customers in Gombe state have been reached with hurt discount providers.
The hurt discount program in Gombe State is designed to attenuate the hostile well being, and social penalties related to drug use. The core providers embrace: Needle and Syringe Program (NSP): to cut back the unfold of infectious ailments like HIV, Hepatitis B and C, clear needles and syringes are offered. Medicine-Assisted Remedy (MAT): medicines are provided to assist people scale back their dependency on unlawful opioids. Well being Training and Counseling: complete schooling on protected drug use practices and entry to counselling providers. Medical Care and
Testing: common well being providers like HIV testing and remedy, tuberculosis screening, and entry to associated providers.
Different providers offered are opioid overdose administration, entry to wound administration, and when required, amputation providers by means of its tertiary services.
Mr Abah David, a member of the TWG, representing the PWID group says the Gombe state hurt discount program represents a major step ahead in addressing the advanced problem of drug abuse.
He explains that the state authorities recognises drug use as a well being downside requiring a multi-sectoral strategy and this TWG gives the enabling surroundings to make sure entry to hurt discount providers for individuals who use medication”.
The TWG will function an advisory physique to the federal government on hurt discount and help coverage formulation, present steering on evidence-based methods, and monitor the standard of providers.
Associate help
To strengthen the coordination of hurt discount providers in Nigeria, WHO had earlier performed an intensive evaluation of present providers in ten states together with Gombe State.
By conducting this evaluation, WHO seeks to strengthen hurt discount efforts, enhance public well being outcomes, and help states in implementing simpler and complete methods to mitigate the dangers related to drug use.
The evaluation evaluated the attain of present hurt discount methods and mapped the services and organizations that present these providers.
Findings from the 2023 evaluation in Gombe state confirmed that the WHO-recommended bundle of interventions for individuals who inject medication, excluding MAT, was accessible. Nonetheless, there’s a have to strengthen coordination and enhance consciousness and protection of providers inside the state.
Performing upon the findings, the WHO Gombe State Coordinator, Dr Ismail Farouk explains that “WHO labored carefully with the State Authorities in the course of the structure of the TWG on hurt discount as a primary step in the direction of bettering coordination”.
He reiterated WHO’s dedication to proceed supporting the state in bettering consciousness of and expediting entry to the advisable bundle of take care of PWID.
