Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2012 2013

Details for Mechanism ID: 13976
Country/Region: Central Asia Region
Year: 2012
Main Partner: John Snow, Inc
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: Private Contractor
Funding Agency: USAID
Total Funding: $0

This mechanism supports CAR's PEPFAR Strategy Objective 1

The Drop-in and Youth Centers Project's goal is to provide HIV outreach and prevention for drug users and a forum for at-risk youth to gain skills and knowledge to promote healthy lifestyles. The Drop in Center, located in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, provides HIV outreach services, TA, and training for PWID and SWs who inject drugs. The project also supports two Youth Centers which provide education on HIV/AIDS prevention, stigma reduction, responsible behavior and consequences of drug use.

The program is co-funded through a public-private partnership with Chevron Nebitgaz Company which funds Youth Center activities. PEPFAR funds only support HIV prevention activities.

The project works closely with the National AIDS Center, National Narcology Center and the Youth Organization of Turkmenistan. The program also receives support from international donors such as UNFPA, United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), and UNDP which help to share some costs of running these centers. At the end of the project, it is expected that the Government of Turkmenistan will continue to support all Centers.The project measures use of services at each center using a unique identifier code. Project activities are monitored through client satisfaction surveys as well as through client roundtables.

Funding for Prevention: Injecting and Non-Injecting Drug Use (IDUP): $0

This mechanism supports the CAR Regional PEPFAR Strategy Objective 1: Improve access in public and private sectors to quality HIV prevention, care and treatment services to reduce the transmission and impact of the HIV epidemic in Central Asia with a focus on Sub-objective 1.1: Equitable Access to services. UNODC reports that Turkmenistan has an opiate prevalence (% of people who use illicit opiates) rate of 0.3% in 2010, resulting in an estimated 32,000 heroin users. Of this number, the Government of Turkmenistan (GOTk) estimates that 94 percent are male. Unofficially, the total number of heroin users is likely much higher. According to a 2009 UNDP survey, most sex workers in Turkmenistan start engaging in sex work between the ages of 15-17 and drug addiction among youth is also very common. The Drop-In and Youth Centers project will provide outreach activities through peer educators to vulnerable youth and will target HIV/AIDS prevention, condom use and drug demand reduction. Outreach workers will conduct education and information sessions both in the Drop-In and Youth Centers and on the streets.PEPFAR Funds will be used to support the activities of the Drop-in Center (DIC) component of the project. The DIC located in Ashgabat will provide PWID with a safe place to receive counseling and social support services and referrals. The Drop-In Center will provide outreach services which will include information, education and communication messages that focus on safer injection and safer sexual behaviors and HIV counseling. PWID will be encouraged to bring their partners for couples counseling where partners will receive information on HIV prevention, treatment, drug abuse treatment, condoms, and social support. Drug using sex workers will also be provided with information on blood borne and sexual prevention of HIV, drug prevention and treatment. The project will assist in introducing opioid substitution therapy in Turkmenistan through negotiations with government officials and international donors. If substitution therapy becomes available, it will be offered at the polyclinic where the DIC is located.The DIC will use the Unique Identifier Code (UIC) developed previously by the Drug Demand Reduction Project to capture information about individual use of medical consultation services to maintain clients anonymity and confidentiality. Client data will be entered into a database where data can be aggregated on periodic basis for both reporting and management services.The project will coordinate with USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project, the Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan, the USAID Quality Project and UNODC which supports HIV/AIDS prevention among drug users and sex workers in other pilot sites of Turkmenistan. In mid-2011, the GOTk pledged to open DIC and provide opioid substitution therapy in every region in the country. This site will serve as a model for other sites throughout the country.