Baylor College of Medicine
Children’s Foundation - Uganda

USAID LPHS-E Participates in Harm Reduction Dialogue in Mbale

To strengthen harm reduction strategies for People Who Inject Drugs (PWID), USAID Local Partner Health Services-Eastern Activity (LPHS-E) convened a week-long Technical Duty Visit (TDY) in Mbale, Uganda. The meeting brought together representatives from the Uganda Ministry of Health, USAID headquarters, USAID Kenya, USAID Uganda, Uganda Harm Reduction Network and Drop-In Clinics from Mbale and Busia. Discussions centred on improving Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and broadening the scope of harm reduction initiatives.

Throughout the week, participants evaluated the MAT program’s current framework, focusing on enrolment, retention and service expansion to border districts like Busia. One key takeaway was the importance of promoting Harm Reduction as a comprehensive program, with MAT serving as one of the sections of the Harm reduction program.

An important theme of the dialogue was increasing the enrolment of women in Harm reduction programs through the Sexual Network Strategy (SNS). Several client retention challenges were identified including self-motivation, unemployment, family conflicts, transportation barriers, stigma and persistent myths about MAT. Stakeholders explored ways to mitigate these issues and enhance long-term engagement.

Field visits provided a direct view of the program’s real-world impact. Teams visited Women with a Mission in Mbale City and the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union in Busia, where they interacted with Female Sex Workers and PWID. Discussions revealed significant changes in the types and prices of drugs, alongside a worrying rise in needle sharing. Many PWID reported sourcing needles from Kenya, highlighting the critical need for cross-border cooperation to reduce health risks and needle exchange to mitigate transmission of blood-borne diseases.

The TDY concluded with actionable recommendations aimed at scaling up harm reduction services:

  • Increasing the involvement of community peers to enhance female enrolment.
  • Framing harm reduction as a holistic program beyond MAT alone so that those that are not enrolled on the MAT can seek other remedies from the Drop-in clinics.
  • Addressing transportation challenges and societal stigma through education and outreach with the help of the MAT van.

USAID and its partners remain committed to building an inclusive, impactful harm reduction framework. By fostering collaboration across borders and sectors, the initiative aims to improve health outcomes and transform the lives of vulnerable populations in Uganda.

Nantaba Sharon(Centre), Pharmacy Technician MAT clinic takes the guests through the workings of the meta-measure machine at the MAT clinic in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.

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