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ID: HR19-1355

Presenting author: Rui Salvador

Presenting author biography:

Membro da Direção da CASO 2009. Educador de pares do projecto C+ e Activista pelos Direitos Humanos das Pessoas que Usam Drogas. Membro de Uma Vida como a Arte (associação que procura sensibilizar as pessoas para a questão das pessoas em situação de sem-abrigo, através da arte).

C+, BE+, BE YOUR RIGHTS – TO END (ONCE AND FOR ALL) WITH HEPATITIS C AMONG DRUG USERS – AN EXAMPLE OF COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION.

Rui Coimbra, Rui Salvador

During the 90’s Portugal had an estimated number of 100.000 high risk drug users, mostly of injected heroin. Data from EMCDDA from 2014/2015 shows that the prevalence of Hepatitis C (HCV) among people who inject drugs is still over 80%. So, if data from the national register for HCV showed that there were 17.721 diagnosed, we ask ourselves where are all the others?
Experts suggest the need of a specific and inclusive approach, to reach people who use drugs, particularly those in a vulnerable situation, sometimes in a framework of micro-elimination, but until now there are no specific strategies.

To contribute to the elimination of HCV by 2030; recognizing and validating the potential of Peer Work (particularly reaching the most vulnerable). With the objectives of: Involving the community and develop synergies with outreach teams and other services seeking integrated answers; Empowering people who use drugs and know well the Porto open scene neighborhoods of consumption, to design and implement their own micro-interventions in the field, with supervision, and internal and external monitoring and evaluation. The projects focused on being the bridge to the most “hard to reach”, developing a non-judgmental relationship, and then knowing about health status and support the re-connection with public services.

The project reached more than 70 people that use these territories, and that have a poor connection with health services. All the moments of the project have been documented, there are registers of the capacity building action, implementation of projects, supervision moments, and evidence that supports that people who use drugs have a unique knowledge that can contribute to facilitate equity in health access and quality of services.

These results will help advocacy for the meaningful involvement of people who use drugs in the strategy and concrete measures towards elimination of HCV.