PRIMEX, Inc. has successfully organized a National
Participatory Planning Workshop (PPW) on HIV/AIDS and Injecting
Drug Use (IDU) on 10 January 2008 at the Astoria Plaza in Ortigas
Center, Pasig City. Present during the activity were representatives
from national government agencies, NGOs, donor agencies, and other
concerned sectors who have been very active in the HIV/AIDS and
IDU intervention.
The main objectives of the Workshop were to present
the component 1 Situation and Analysis Report (SAR-IDU) prepared
by the Consultant Team and brief the participants of the Pilot IDU
Harm Reduction Project in Zamboanga City. The SAR-IDU is a comprehensive
assessment of the IDU situation in selected sites in the country
and this was organized during the initial seven months of the Regional
Technical Assistance 6321 Subproject 5.
Director Yolanda E. Oliveros graced the event
and delivered the Keynote Speech and extended her gratitude to the
PRIMEX Team and ADB for taking the lead in implementing significant
initiatives in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In her speech, she mentioned
that IDU is one of the most hard to reach population group and the
number of HIV cases coming from this group is quite alarming. Dr.
Oliveros also noted that harm reduction interventions in the country
has many controversies and she hopes that these challenges will
be properly addressed and given remedies at the end of the Workshop.
Based
on the reactions and review of the workshop participants, the SAR-IDU
can be generally summarized (i) as a comprehensive report, (ii)
it identified issues “spot-on,” (iii) there were few
comments on substance, and (iv) the reactions focused more on follow-up
actions rather than the content of the report. The comments, issues,
and additional information gathered during the workshop and from
concerned sectors will be incorporated in the revised version of
the SAR-IDU, which will also be distributed later on.
The SAR-IDU and lessons that will be derived from
the Pilot IDU Harm Reduction implementation in Zamboanga will provide
major inputs for the Department of Health’s (DOH) formulation
of the National Program on HIV/AIDS and Harm Reduction Operational
Guidelines.