Effectiveness of harm reduction intervention among Female Injecting Drug User in Manipur

Introduction: Project ORCHID initiated HIV prevention program in high prevalence districts of Manipur and Nagaland in March 2004. The overall goal of the Project is to reduce transmission of HIV and STIs among IDUs, SWs, MSM and their sexual partners, through a sustained response of increased scale and 80% coverage in Manipur and Nagaland.
Methodology: The pilot project with female injecting drug users started in August 2011, with 150 female injecting drug users as the estimated population. Before this initiative female drug user were given same services in the same clinic and drop in centre which is used for male drug user.
Result: Till August 2011, there was a single drop in center and STI clinic for both male and female injectors. The registration of FIDU increased by 76% from August 2010 to July-2012. The outreach has increased from 52% to 96% during the same period. The STI related visit was more than double during the same period i.e., from 22.7% to 48.7%. Condom distribution per FIDU per month has increased from 26 to 76. Needle and Syringe distribution has increased from 7 to 98 during the same period.
Conclusion: The male and female IDU,s should not given services in the same place and thee should be separate provision for services for FIDU.