ID: HR19-903
Presenting author: Mahad Abdulahi
Mahad Abdulahi, Mahad Abdulahi, Khadija Shikely, Abdulnoor Ismail
Issue:
Heroin use exerts heavy health, economic and social toll on society thereby demanding for universal access to Medically Assisted Therapy (MAT). However, lack of HIV preventions and harm reduction programmes within prisons increases risk of HIV transmission among inmates. While MAT is administered as DOT, this poses a challenge to those arrested.Thus the clinic started linking up with the Police, Prisons and Judiciary service to facilitated access.
Setting:
In September 2015, Government of Kenya, Mombasa County, USAID and UNODC launched two MAT Clinics. An estimated 3,500 People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) in Mombasa of whom 898 have been enrolled into MAT. Although KHC already is providing MAT on DOT basis, those arrested missed medication thus the need to advocate to prisons to bring clients daily to the clinic.
Key arguments:
By July 2018, 25 male incarcerated were being brought daily while over 50 had completed their short sentences and resumed DOT at the clinic.
People living in prisons face congestion, poor access to health services with OST practically nonexistent, poor continuum of care for HIV treatment and MAT programmes which compromises an already weakened immune system leading to poor health and risk of co-infections.
The Urgency to start a dispensing facility that offers targeted MAT, HIV, TB, primary health care and reproductive health services for PWUD in prisons were very much felt and through continued advocacy towards Law Enforcement Agencies, the Judiciary and the community at large, a meeting between CSOs and Clinics representative with the resident magistrate in Mombasa County convinced the magistrate to issue a court order that MAT services be initiated within the prison service with immediate effect.
Outcomes:
MAT services in Prisons will ensure the continuity of care for people in prisons. The clinic will commence on 1st December 2018 on World Aids Day.