Hopes high for harm reduction program to curb drug abuse<\/p>\n
Dewi Santoso, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Andi, 24, cannot stop injecting drugs -- even though he tested
\npositive for HIV three years ago.<\/p>\n
Although he now regrets the possibility that his days are
\nnumbered due to the habit that has been an integral part of his
\nlife since he was 18, Andi expresses the hope he will not
\ntransmit the virus to others.<\/p>\n
He is one of around 190 injecting drug users (IDUs) who attend
\na harm reduction program run by the Pelita Ilmu Foundation (YPI)
\nin Kampung Bali, Tanah Abang district, Central Jakarta. Drug
\nabuse has been widespread for years in Kampung Bali.<\/p>\n
The controversial harm reduction program aims to discourage
\nthe sharing of needles among IDUs, or even stop drug abuse
\naltogether.<\/p>\n
Andi described the program as \"helpful\" and \"hopeful\".<\/p>\n
\"Before I joined the program, I used to inject heroin into my
\nveins six to eight times per day. Now I've managed to reduce it
\nto three times a day,\" said Andi, who helps YPI as a program
\nvolunteer.<\/p>\n
During the program, he was taught about the need to use clean,
\ndisposable needles and refrain from sharing used needles with
\nfellow IDUs.<\/p>\n
Andi said participants of the program were told to bleach
\nneedles after using them, in order to keep them clean. Often,
\nbecause of too much bleaching, the needles became useless for
\ninjecting anymore.<\/p>\n
\"Yet, we try our best to make use of what we have as we are
\nalready aware of the dangers of sharing needles and don't want
\nothers to contract HIV\/AIDS,\" said Andi.<\/p>\n
Another IDU, Heru, who also lives in Kampung Bali, shared
\nAndi's opinion.<\/p>\n
\"The program teaches me how to clean my used needles using
\nbleach so as to prevent myself from contracting or spreading the
\nvirus,\" said the 25-year-old, who has been injecting heroin for
\nsix years.<\/p>\n
He tested negative for HIV recently.<\/p>\n
Since joining the program two years ago, he said he had
\nmanaged to reduce his heroin injecting frequency to four times
\nper day, from eight previously.<\/p>\n
YPI ran the harm reduction program secretly at its inception
\nin 2002, as at that time it was considered illegal.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Health estimates the number of IDUs at 124,000
\nto 169,000, with more than one-third HIV-positive.<\/p>\n
Due to the rapid increase in the number of IDUs and the spread
\nof the virus due to needle sharing, the National Narcotics Agency
\n(BNN) and the Ministry of Health signed a memorandum of
\nunderstanding (MOU) on the program to fight HIV\/AIDS among IDUs
\nin December 2003. Under the MOU, IDUs who join the harm reduction
\nprogram will be exempted from police measures against drug abuse.<\/p>\n
Less than two weeks ago, the BNN officially launched the harm
\nreduction program in a pilot project scheduled to run for three
\nyears in Jakarta and Bali. The program will involve local
\nauthorities, including health offices, the police, research
\ncenters and selected, non-governmental organizations (NGOs).<\/p>\n
The program aims to discourage the sharing of contaminated
\ndrug equipment by providing sterile, disposable needles and
\ndisinfectants so as to reduce the likelihood of IDUs contracting
\nand spreading HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n
Every Monday and Thursday an IDU will be given two sterile
\nneedles, along with disinfectants.<\/p>\n
The program has sparked controversy, as many people consider
\nthat the provision of clean, disposable needles to IDUs is
\ntantamount to government support of drug abuse.<\/p>\n
Baby Jim Aditya of the NGO Human Participation (Partisan),
\nwhich is concerned with HIV\/AIDS activism, said the program would
\nbe effective if the government maintained strict supervision of
\nrecipients, otherwise IDUs would continue to share needles.<\/p>\n
\"If possible, we should learn from the Netherlands, which has
\nintroduced a 'shooting gallery', where IDUs can exchange used
\nneedles for new ones. The new needles are dumped after use in the
\ngallery,\" Baby Jim said on the sidelines of a commemoration here
\nof World Antidrug Day on Saturday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hopes-high-for-harm-reduction-program-to-curb-drug-abuse-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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