Assessment to improve the Harm Reduction Program
Publication Date: 2018/03/01
Since 2015, Raks Thai Foundation is the PR under the NFM. Under their Stop TB and AIDS through RRTTR (STAR) Programme, the Harm Reduction program is active in 12 provinces, providing 14 dropin centers (DICs), outreach activities, distribution of needles and syringes, information packages and condoms, referral to HIV and STI testing and treatment and other health services and referrals to Methadone maintenance treatment for PWIDs. The service providers are RTF with two DICs, O-Zone with 8 DICs, and Thai Drug Users Network (TDN) with 4 DICs. NSP is only available in the DICs and through outreach of these centers; the number of NSP has been reduced due to the close down of DICs and the termination of partnerships with local pharmacies under the NFM. The number of needles distributed per person per year is 144. According to program data from RTF, the Harm Reduction program is reaching about 7,000-9,000 PWID per year in the 12 provinces or around 16-20% of the national estimate of PWID in need of Harm Reduction services. [29 pages]