Theme: Epidemiology & Public Health Research Year: 2024
Background: As of January 2024, there were 4639 people who inject drugs (PWID) officially registered with the National Narcology Service of the Kyrgyz Republic (KR) as PWID, however most recent bio-behavioral survey showed that the estimated number of PWID in KG can vary from 20 to 25 thousand people. Opioid agonist therapies (OAT), an effective means to prevent HIV and HCV transmission among PWID, have been available in since 2002. The objective of this study was to assess PWID’s access to OAT in KG as well as evaluate its main barriers.
Methods: For this study, National Register of OAT patients was analyzed (N=724) for quantitative data and qualitative interviews were conducted with PWID who are currently on OAT (N=5) and main stakeholders – OAT providers and community workers (N=5).
Results: As of January 2024, there were overall 25 OAT sites operating in KG providing methadone to 543 OAT patients among whom 181 PWID within the penitentiary system. Sixty-eight percent of OAT patients receive up to 5-day take-home supply of methadone. Buprenorphine is not available yet. The retention rate on OAT is 85.8%. The following main barriers to PWID’s access to OAT were listed: change in drug scene, lack of social support of OAT patients, non-effective level of referrals from community settings, inability to daily visit OAT sites, and stigma.
Conclusions: This analysis clearly demonstrates that further efforts should be taken to expand PWID’s access to OAT in KG, namely: more close collaboration with non-governmental settings for successful referral of PWID to OAT program, advocacy work with general population and community on dispelling myths regarding OAT and reducing stigma, provision of more extensive psychosocial support to those PWID already on OAT and introduction of long-acting forms of OAT medication such as long acting depot buprenorphine.
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