ID: HR23-628
Presenting author: verapun ngammee

Presenting author biography:

worked and provided leadership in the field of HIV/AIDS more than 20 years and harm reduction for the past 12 years, I worked as a field staff, Medicine San Frontier-Belgium as a project co-ordinator and Population service International-Thailand as a field manager. Currently is excecutive director of Ozone foundation

Covid-19 pandemic and financing gap challenging and pushing Drug user organization for a Highly performance and Cost effectiveness comprehensive harm reduction service for PWUD/PWID.

verapun ngammee
Background: Ozone is a drug user organization with 16 years’ experience for implementing harm reduction service among PWUD/PWID in Thailand through 14 drop-in centers and 153 full time staffs. About 6000 drug users per year receiving the benefit from this implementation. December 18, 2020 or 12 days before end of the year and end of the current project finish. At the same time no have idea for fund raising, only 10% of the budget compare to the next year work plan are available and covid-19 pandemic 1st phase situation are ongoing.

Objectives: Continue providing comprehensive harm reduction service along covid-19 pandemic with a highly and cost-effective implementing model.

Methods: re-organization by try to make it small, reduce staffs from 153 to 26, continue with 4 drop-in center from 10. Stop hand to hand service because of covid-19 pandemic. 3 months activity and budged plan including staffs’ contract are develop and implement. Platform online for providing harm reduction service has been develop and implementing. New service including HIV self-test and PrEP are start to provide.

Results / Outcomes: Between January 2022- September 2022 total 578 clients are received service. 257 or 44.5% are visit at drop-in, 159 or 27.5% are visit through online. 178 or 60.1% of Anti-HIV negative receiving HIV testing, 193 or 39.1% received HBV testing, 254 or 51.5% received HCV testing, 233 or 47.3% received STI testing, 234 47.5% received NS service, 28 clients are receiving Naloxone. During 3 months for implementing, 41 clients are receiving PrEP.

Conclusions / Lessons learnt: community-led highly performance and cost-effective model provide more benefit and more coverage to the clients.