Welcome remarks at the RETA 6321: LAUNCH OF THE PILOT IDU HARM REDUCTION PROJECT, Zamboanga City, 8 February 2008

Hon. Mayor Celso Lobregat
Mayor of Zamboanga City

Ms. Barbara Lochmann
Social Sector Specialist, ADB

Dr. Rodel Agbulos
City Health Officer, Zamboanga City

Dr. Jojo Sescon
Deputy Team Leader for Component 1, PRIMEX

Ms. Malou Lim
Executive Director, HDES

Distinguished Guests, Members of the Consultant Team, Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am very happy to be back in your beautiful city after a long time. It has been so long since my last visit here that I could not even remember when that was, and am really pleased that I could return for this important event.
As you may have read in the invitation letter that was sent to you, we are here to launch the Pilot Project on Harm Reduction for Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) that will be implemented under the auspices of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded Regional Technical Assistance for Fighting HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific – Subproject 5: Strengthening Country Response to HIV/AIDS among Two Vulnerable Groups. These two groups are the injecting drug users (whom we also refer to as IDUs) and the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

IDUs are considered highly vulnerable to HIV and AIDS because the sharing of needles, specifically by users of prohibited drugs, has been shown to be one of the most efficient modes of HIV transmission.  In South and East Asia, injecting drug use has been the driver for the spread of HIV in Indonesia, Myanmar, and parts of China and India.

The 2007 Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serologic Surveillance (IHBSS) survey conducted by DOH among IDUs showed that around 40-70% of IDUs share needles the last time they injected, and some 80% of IDUs had unprotected sex in past 12 months.

This pilot harm reduction project for IDUs will be implemented in two barangays in Zamboanga City, which was selected as the site of the pilot project based on factors like accessibility, partnership with the local government, and presence of active stakeholders.
As will be presented by the other speakers later, the main/primary objective of the Pilot Project is to demonstrate the feasibility, acceptability, and immediate effectiveness of a pilot harm reduction model among IDUs and their families and communities in Zamboanga City. Its secondary objectives are to (i) improve the policy environment for implementation of HR initiatives in the city, (ii) enhance the capacity of service providers to give psychosocial support to current IDUs and their families and communities, (iii) improve access of IDUs to services through the HR outreach posts, and (iv) sustain safe injecting and sexual practices among current IDUs through participation in support groups.
The Pilot Project will be implemented  from February to October 2008 and will consist of various activities under three service delivery areas (SDAs), namely: (i) Policy Advocacy; (ii) Training; and (iii) Services. The various activities will be implemented by Human Development and Empowerment Services (HDES), a local NGO, in close collaboration with the Zamboanga City Health Office (CHO), with oversight supervision provided by PRIMEX, through the Deputy Team Leader for Component 1, Dr. Jojo Sescon, and with support from Ms. Gladys Malayang, Project Implementation and Evaluation Specialist.

PRIMEX is pleased to have been this opportunity to work with the City Government of Zamboanga, HDES, and DOH, through the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC), in the implementation of this groundbreaking and highly challenging project.
We are fortunate to have the full support and cooperation of the Local Chief Executive and the city health officials, as well as NGO staff and other local partners, during the conceptualization, planning, and implementation of this important Pilot Project.

We are aware of the challenges that lie ahead, especially since this is the first time that such a model is to be tested in the Philippine setting, but we are confident that with everyone’s support and cooperation, we will be able to produce good results at the end of the nine-month implementation period.

Muchisimas gracias a todos.