Engagements with Female Sex Workers who inject drugs on their challenges in accessing harm reduction services

Based on the feedback from the female sex workers who inject drugs engaged, it was noted that:

• As of the date of this engagement, harm reduction packages are unavailable in the State; hence female sex workers who inject drugs expressed their displeasure in that regard.
• Societal imbalances and inequalities stemming from the discrimination and stigmatization of sex work and drug use have left them isolated and self-criminalized to turn up for service uptake.
• Regarding HIV prevention options, female sex workers who inject drugs also complained that PrEP service delivery is available but not accessible because of the long distances since PrEP is not available in Primary Healthcare facilities in the State.
• Finally, they complained that the current security challenges in the State worsened the precarious situation because all fingers point at them as companions to hoodlums hence limiting their freedom of engagement and association.

The challenges mentioned above helped GWIHR identify program gaps and the need to devise new service provision strategies and lead advocacies in these areas of difficulties to the concerned stakeholders.Funded by ViiV Health care under the Positive Action Intervention.