Project title

To improve harm reduction and medical service among IDUs accessibility and quality in Vilnius City.

Project objectives:

1. To ensure medical, social and psychological service provision for IDUs;
2. To expand existing and to provide new medical services for IDUs;
3. To expand harm reduction and psychosocial services for IDUs.

Aiming to fully adjust organization premises for the services provided to the IDUs, renovation of the premises at Kauno str. 6-1 in Vilnius took place. Renovated cabinet will increase attractiveness of the provided services therefore more clients IDUs are expected. A "window" for needle and syringe exchange was installed. Improving provided medical services, additional medical equipment was purchased. Now IDUs can more easily and anonymously receive sterile needles and syringes, condoms and other needed commodities, as well as to receive medical and social services.

Outreach work was performed during the project implementation. Formed outreach work team which constituted a social worker, medical worker, psychologist and consultant. Outreach workers attended targeted group gathering places and provided there information, taught and educated in infection, drug dependence, STI, TBC, hepatitis and other related questions. Outreach workers provided consultations, psychological and medical supports, IDUs were referred to treatment facilities, social support centres, HIV testing, etc. Not only informational but also instrumental (assistance in solving problems), material (syringes, condoms, etc.) and psychological support and assistance was provided to IDUs. As well secondary exchange took place.

• Number of regular clients - 202;
• Number of new clients per last month - 121;
• Number of distributed syringes - 1545;
• Number of distributed syringes per person per month - 8;
• Number of performed HIV tests - 203;
• Number of positive HIV tests - 2;
• Number of outreach workers - 4.
• Number of IDUs providing secondary exchange - 2.

The following services were also provided during the project implementation:

• Number of distributed condoms with lubricant - 1921;
• Number of distributed spirit sponges- 4000;
• Number of distributed information leaflets - 299;
• Number of provided medical consultations - 175;
• Number of provided psychological consultations - 117;
• Number of provided wound dressing services - 100.

UNODC budget