Africa-Press – Tanzania. AMREF Health Africa has commended the government for collaborative efforts aimed at reducing HIV/Aids infection and drug abuse in the country, pledging more support to the health sector.
Speaking during World Drugs Day, Amref Health Africa Director of the Afya Kamilifu Project’ Mr Edwin Kilimba said the organisation partners with the government to fight drug abuse.
He said they are supporting the government in a number of projects through the ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children in Simiyu, Tanga and Zanzibar to implement HIV/Aids care and treatment clinical cascade in an effort to achieve a 95-95-95 goal and HIV epidemic control.
Mr Kilimba said in recognition of the link between injection of drug use or abuse and HIV which continues to be a risk factor transmission, Amref partners with the government to address the problem.
He expressed Amref commitment as an important partner to engage regional and national teams to ensure that methadone services are available to drug users in Tanga region. He said Tanga regional referral hospital and 90 health facilities in all eleven districts councils in the region are supplied with methadone.
He said methadone has demonstrated multiple health benefits including the reduction in injection drug use and HIV acquisition, meaning that utilization of methadonehas become one of the HIV prevention methods towards achieving the HIV epidemic control.
He added that since the establishment of methadone services in Tanga, Amref in collaboration with the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA), the Ministry of Health and two Civil Society Organizations; Tanga Free Drug Foundation and Gift of Hope, have managed to reach and help 288 drug users.
Through the funding from CDC/PEPFAR, Amref Health Africa has also participated in renovating facilities where methadone services are provided.
Due to strong relations between drug users and infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Amref Health Africa will continue to support the regional and national authorities to make sure that the services are available.
He reiterated Amref continued supporting provision of methadone medication by having in place clean and safe water for mixing the drug, disposable cups, water dispensers, office equipment like computers, printers, among others.
In his remarks, Minister for Home Affairs, George Simbachawene thanked development partners, non-governmental organizations all other stakeholders working together with the government to end drug abuse in the country.
