Harm Reduction Program in General Santos City

Principal Investigator: Social Health Environment and Development Foundation, Inc.
Alternate Phone: 09212017989
Alternate Email Address: wbidad2001@yahoo.com

SPECIFIC FINDINGS
Our drug users are mostly fisherfolks, male, who cross borders in Indonesia where there is huge population of IDUs. Linked to the fishing trade, they do not have regular jobs,and are often involved in the drug trade.

A small portion of these groups are Muslims, trading drugs from Cotabato and Marawi areas.

Knowledge on STI and HIV transmission, prevention, treatment, etc.

Knowledge on STD/HIV and condom use low.

Behavior (multiple sex partners, paid sex, condom use, injecting practice, etc)

The fisherman culture is very similar to seamen. For every port report. But it far more dangerous. The tradition is to have sex immediately upon arrival in Gensan ports before they have sex with their wives.

Fisherfolks also say that Indonesian women love them because they are circumcised and have better hygiene.

This cycle of sex-indonesia-sex-gensan-sex-wife happens every 2-3 months for the fishing cycle usually last this period.

Moreever, under the new fishing arrangements Filipino fishing companies have to hire Indonesians to allow them to fish. This facilitates acculturation, including, injecting drug use.

Programmatic, including systems issues (service delivery, information, policy, etc.)

SHED provides HIV education to these groups. For the second phase of the TDF program, SHED targets 600 IDUs. To date half of the targets have been reached. Only 30 of those reached submitted to voluntary counseling and testing.

STI and VCT is done at the Social Hygiene Clinic.

Formation of Advisory Group to monitor harm reduction program

RECOMMENDATIONS
For Further Research
Cross Border Injecting Drug Use Among Fisherfolks (BIMP-EAGA).

For Programme Development
Intervention Programme for Fisherfolks. Referral system for VCT with other service providers.

For Policy Formulation
Review Drug Policies to include Harm Reduction.

Research or Project Information
Title: Harm Reduction Program in General Santos City
Start Year:
End Year:

Brief Introduction:
SHED Foundation is the first NGO in General Santos to discover the growing IDU population in 2001. It implemented ethnographic researches with AIDS Alliance and PHANSUP Philippines. Afterwards, it organized the first harm reduction program in the city with the support of PATH Philippines. Afterwards, the same program was implemented with the support of MSH and FHI in 2003. Presently, a harm reduction program is in place for the last 8 months with the funding support of TDF Philippines.

Project Sites: Our area covers Bula, Calumpang, Barangay North, Barangay South, Lagao, Buayan, Apopong and Fatima. However, we also follow our clients in Polomolok South Cotabato where they sometimes obtain nubain from less stringent pharmacies or hospitals.

Principal Investigator: Social Health Environment and Development Foundation, Inc.
Contact Information: hivresearch
Alternate Phone: 09212017989
Alternate Email Address: wbidad2001@yahoo.com

Co Investigator/s: hivresearch
Website: hivresearch

Location (Province): Region IX
Location (City or Town): General Santos City