Theme: Models of Care Year: 2024
Background: Statistics in Vietnam showed that the number of people who use stimulants increased fivefold from 2014 to 2018-2023. Vietnam Authority of HIV/AIDS recognized a surge of new HIV infection largely due to sexual transmission, which is linked to alarming trend of ATS use. Main harm reduction programs in Vietnam & its region focus only on provision of clean needles and syringes and methadone. Technical competencies and experiences in stimulant harm reduction are virtually non-existent.
Description of model of care/intervention/program: SCDI is a leading NGO in Vietnam working with the marginalized populations, including people who use drugs since 2010. Since 2017, SCDI developed a logical framework of the risk factors associated with the methamphetamine use (the most common ATS in Vietnam). According to the framework, we built community-based intervention packages that target each factor. The interventions are evidence-based and designed to be feasible for community to implement; including:
1) HIV
2) Harm reduction
3) Chemsex
4) Mental health
5) Adverse childhood experiences/ trauma healing
Effectiveness: The interventions were implemented in 7 provinces of Vietnam, reached total of 10.105 people who use stimulants. A cross-cut evaluation done in Hanoi showed that, for two years 2022 – 2023, there was a significant improvement in knowledge of clients on HIV transmission, safer sexual behavior, safer drug use, and mental health. The analysis with 800 clients showed a decrease in the score of high risk for methamphetamine use (82.6% before and 54.3% after intervention); there is also a decrease in psychotic disorders among the clients with 53.8% before and 12.1% after intervention; decrease in suicidal thoughts with 9% before and 1.3% after intervention.
Conclusion and next steps:
We are advocating for the legally adoption of the model to the policy to cement and sustain the community-based comprehensive harm reduction for people who use stimulants.