ID: HR19-1363

Presenting author: Siarhei Hartseu

Presenting author biography:

Work in the field of Harm Reduction since 2005: Since 2005 - outreach worker. Alternate member of the CCM in the subsector. “Representatives of vulnerable groups”. Since February 2017, he participated in the creation of an NGO of clients of OST-RSOO “Your chance”, chairman of the board of this organization.

Study of the interest of people who inject opioids (PWID) to participate in the opioid substitution treatment program (OST)

Siarhei Hartseu

In the Republic of Belarus the last three years, the number of OST clients has critically decreased (from 1200 to 800). The study was conducted by regional representatives of the community - members of our patient organization RSOO “Your Chance”, clients of OST programs in various cities of the country.
Objective:To explore the interest of PWID in participating in the OST program.
Subject of research:the potential interest of friends and acquaintances of OST participants who use opioids in participating in the program.
Objectives of the study:
Calculate the total number of PWIDs.
Identify the number of PWID interested in participating in OST.
Identify the main barriers to participation in the program.
Methodology:personal survey using the "coefficient methods".
Result:
The total number of people using opioids is 14,900 people.
The number of potentially interested in the PWID program is 10,500 people.
The main barrier is the daily visit to the OST office. Also common are the barriers associated with the procedure for inclusion in the program: a long wait in the queue and the need to stay in the hospital for the selection of the dodo sage. The office is in another city or far from the place of residence.
Based on the study, we provided basic recommendations for the developers of the Clinical Protocol on OST:taking a patient to the program on the day of treatment, selecting dosages on an outpatient basis without having to stay in the hospital, and most importantly, the possibility of getting OST on hands for personal use. After six months of advocacy activities - letters from «Your chance», collective appeals of patients to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus,the number of OST clients increased to 900 people, there are no queues. Our recommendations were included in the draft Clinical Protocol on OST.