Project title

The main goal of the project is to stop and reduce HIV/AIDS epidemic among injecting drug users, to expand the HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services, to establish sustainable pharmacotherapy cabinet in the premises of JSC "Mažeikių psichinės sveikatos centras".

Project objectives:

• To adjust the centre premises for the pharmacotherapy and to ensure the safety of the premises and medicaments.
• To build staff capacities, to share best practices, to consult with HIV/AIDS prevention and care specialists from Vilnius Centre for Addictive Disorders, JSC "Žemaitijos psichikos sveikatos centras", etc.
• To share information in media and community.
• To provide HIV voluntary testing and counselling, and to ensure continuity of treatment.

Implementing the project a cabinet for provision of pharmacotherapy was established and adjusted in the premises JSC "Mažeikių psichinės sveikatos centras". The project was carried out and the services were provided by 11 centre specialists: director, accountant, 2 psychiatrists, 3 nurses, psychologist, psychotherapist and 2 social workers.

Pharmacotherapy patients were regularly, i.e. once a month, checked if they do not use other psychotropic substances. Pharmacotherapy clients and the one's who requested were tested for HIV, HBV and HCV. From 36 people tested, nine were HIV positive, four had HBV, six - HCV.

UAB "Mažeikių psichinės sveikatos centras" prepared 500 leaflets and 50 posters with the information on services provided for IDUs in UAB "Mažeikių psichinės sveikatos centras". All this information was disseminated in cooperation with partners: Mažeikiai Police, Youth and Women Occupation Centre, Mažeikiai Lodging House.

Mažeikiai region newspaper "Būdas žemaičių" published two articles "New service in Mažeikiai mental health centre" and "Your health is in your hands" prepared by JSC "Mažeikių psichinės sveikatos centras" psychiatrist R. Zakarauskienė, one article "Everything starts from the choice" prepared by social worker L. Baltutienė and an information article - "Help for drug users is continued".

Main indicators:

• Number of regular clients in PT - 9;
• Number of HIV, HBV ir HCV tests - 108;
• Number of consulted patients - 9;
• Number of patients' family members involved in rehabilitation and reintegration process - 16;
• Number of articles in local media - 4;
• Number of printed and disseminated leaflets - 500;
• Number of printed and disseminated posters - 50.

UNODC budget