The median IDU population for Coast is 26,667 with Mombasa accounting for over 5,000. A third of all IDUs have shared injecting equipment with their close friends or primary sex partners. Common reasons for sharing injection equipment include lack of personal needles when needed (23%), difficulty in accessing new needles or cost (17%), pressure from other users (14%), or being in prison (2%). Most IDUs cleaned injecting equipment previously used by other IDUs with water, and only 1% of respondents cleaned with bleach. More than 50,000 youth have being affected by drugs at Kenya coast (NACADA) and several have died due to scarcity of drugs after GoK efforts to curtail supply were effected. Most IDU met while on high will always be looking down. There is a joke that the sky is so bright that stitching the leakages will perhaps make it nice to look up and give hope to IDUs in Mombasa to enable them look up with courage The results are from GFR7 Activities through care Kenya

1. “Stitching The Clouds; An
experience from working with
IDUs In Mombasa”
Presenter: Filberts Oluoch
Org: Mothers’ Delight
Moments
Sub-Track: Policy, Advocacy and
Network Building.
Location : AmphiTheatre Room

2. Outline of the presentation
Background/Problems
Interventions
Geographical
Coverage
Achievements
Challenges
Lessons Learnt
Recommendations

3.  The median IDU population for Coast is
 26,667 with Mombasa accounting for over 5,000.
 A third of all IDUs have shared injecting equipment with
their close friends or primary sex partners.
 Common reasons for sharing injection equipment include
lack of personal needles when needed (23%), difficulty in
accessing new needles or cost (17%), pressure from other
users (14%), or being in prison (2%).
 Most IDUs cleaned injecting equipment previously used by
other IDUs with water, and only 1% of respondents
cleaned with bleach.
Background:Background:

4. Background:Background:
More than 50,000 youth have being affected by
drugs at Kenya coast (NACADA) and several have
died due to scarcity of drugs after GoK efforts to
curtail supply were effected.
Most IDU met while on high will always be
looking down. There is a joke that the sky is so
bright that stitching the leakages will perhaps
make it nice to look up and give hope to IDUs in
Mombasa to enable them look up with courage
The results are from GFR7 Activities through care
Kenya

5. Geographical CoverageGeographical Coverage
Areas Covered:
Kisauni
Bamburi
Kiembeni
Mishomoroni
Bombolulu
Utange
Majaoni
Shanzu
Mwandoni
Kongowea
Bamburi Beach
Bamburi
Utange
Shanzu
Kisauni/
Mwandoni/Freretown
Mishomoroni

6. Results IResults IDU (and Sex WorkersDU (and Sex Workers))
MOE (107) Sex Workers Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) Totals Totals
Month 10-24 25-35 10-24 25 – Above M F
M F M F M F M F
July –Oct 2011
Nov 2011 0 35 0 53 32 16 103 31 135 135 270
Dec 2011
Jan –July 2012
Aug 2012 0 127 0 98 10 0 60 10 70 235 305
Sep 2012 0 64 0 26 16 3 66 12 82 105 187
Oct 2012
Nov 2012 0 35 0 53 24 16 103 31 127 135 262
Dec 2012 0 34 1 56 15 01 41 6 57 97 154
Jan 2013 0 25 0 35 10 12 20 20 30 92 122
Feb 2013 0 24 1 36 24 12 34 20 92 59 151
Mar 2013 0 25 0 36 25 12 73 16 90 89 179
April 2013 8 28 3 51 11 05 32 11 54 95 149
May 2013 9 47 6 28 17 02 36 6 68 83 151
June 2013 13 40 4 33 18 09 25 11 60 93 153
July 2013 9 55 8 50 43 18 75 14 135 137 272
Aug 2013 0 70 0 50 23 13 74 10 97 143 240
Sept 2013 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 000
Oct 2013 6 146 27 123 80 12 179 27 292 308 600
Nov 2013 1 86 1 59 58 2 85 8 145 155 300
Dec 2013
Totals 46 841 52 787 406 133 1,106 227 1,444 1,961 3,495

7. Results’ GraphResults’ Graph
46
406
452
841
133
974
52
1,106
1,158
787
227
1007
841
52
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
10-24
M
10-24F 25-35
M
25-35F 35
Plus M
35
Plus F
Sex Workers
IDU
Totals

8. Promising PracticesPromising Practices
Integration of testing and treatment services
into outreaches through ECR/partnerships and
collaboration with CSOs
Participatory planning with community resource
persons
Some IDU returned to ARVs (stopping
injecting) at Mbungoni Health centre.
Successful use non rehabilitation techniques for
stopping an addictive drug and alcohol use with
two participants

9. Promising practices…2Promising practices…2
Referral mechanism developed using referral
books issued (e.g at Migingo maskan in Mtwapa)
for IDUs
Several successful referral of 12 IDUs to Shimo
La Tewa Annex hospital for ARV treatment
Successful involvement of master for referrals to
FHoK Health Centre for treatment of minor
ailments
Stimulation of formation of 6 more community
groups to sustain the gains made by responding
to IDU situation in Kisauni

10. Challenges and Lessons learnt;Challenges and Lessons learnt;
Majority of the female IDUs do not frequent
the Maskans while it is easier to reach the
IDUs through the Maskans.
Several Female sex workers also doubled as
IDUs. Their interaction with the male IDUs
limited their participation in the activities due
to sexual interaction with several of the
targeted (male) IDUs.
We realized from interaction with the female
IDU that the children also suffer from the
effects of drug use

11. Challenges…2Challenges…2
 Due to double stigma, the IDUs preferred services at
the Maskans and the demand was for every activity
 Permission had to be sought from local
administrations before meeting drug users. Also
securing meeting venues posed a challenge.
 It was also hard to manage the expectations of some
beneficiaries especially drug users who constantly
requested for support towards rehabilitation.
 Abuse and exploitation by Tourists is still a cahllenge
with no means of legal redress

12. Challenges …Challenges …
Due to the program design, we did not have
any mechanisms to support or motivate our
point persons [masters and aunties] for
supporting mobilization and ensuring trust
from the participants to attend sessions.
Low risk perception: The female IDUs
argued that they were at a lower risk of HIV
infection as they always suffer low libido after
taking Heroine thus staying for a longer
period without engaging in sex.

13. Challenges…Challenges…
Multiplicity of risks: ’’When
our sisters fail to obtain a dose
of heroin and they are on
withdrawal. They are forced to
trade unprotected sex for a
dose).
The effects of ARVs from
interaction from drug use: The
users say that the headaches,
vomiting, tingling effect causes much
discomfort that when one includes the
effects with the ones from withdrawal
then they rather not take ARVs.

14. Recommendations: StitchesRecommendations: Stitches
 This population needs assistance and follow-up support to
enable them systematically share the knowledge attained
with friends and encouraging them to adhere to treatment
 Need for mobile/integrated health services for inculcating a
culture of Regular medical check-ups and providing medical
aid at the maskans. A minimum of one medicals check up in
two months
 Need for integrating HIV and Hepatitis B risk reduction
among IDU’s to help them increase skills for maintaining
hygiene when using needles.

15. Recommendations…3Recommendations…3
 Need for innovation- Despite
knowing facilities that offer good
services, IDUs do not go for the
services as they are stigmatized
and fear withdrawal syndromes
coupled with side effects of ARVs.
 Need for subsidy of treatments
costs or provison as regular health
health services in County Facilities
as most participants found the
prices prohibitive.
Participants exploring the process of behaviour change