Browsing by Author "Wamala, Twaibu"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Counting that counts: Estimating the number of People Who Inject Drugs in two urban centers in Uganda
    (Researchgate, 2019) Baluku, Matayo; Wamala, Twaibu; Muhangi, Denis; Namanya, Bharam
    Population size estimates of People Who Inject Drugs (PWIDs) are needed to help policy makers understand the scope of the epidemic and allocate appropriate resources yet little is known about the size estimates of PWIDs in Uganda. We aimed to establish the number of people who inject drugs in Kampala Capital City and Mbale Municipality in Uganda. We integrated three population size estimation methods into a cross-sectional survey of PWIDs in two urban centers. These methods included enumeration, Wisdom of the Crowds and multiplier method. The mean of the three estimates was hypothesized to be the most plausible size estimate with the other results forming the upper and lower plausible bounds. Data were shared with community representatives and stakeholders to finalize ‘best’ point estimates and plausible bounds.We estimate there are approximately 550 PWIDs and 189 PWIDs in Kampala Capital City and Mbale Municipality respectively and plausibly 576-1,695 PWIDs living in these two urban centers.We employed multiple methods and used a wide range of data sources to estimate the size of PWIDs—a hidden population in Kampala Capital City and Mbale Municipality in Uganda. These estimates may be useful to advocate for and to plan, implement and evaluate HIV and Viral Hepatitis response for PWIDs.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    HIV- and Hepatitis C-Related Risk Behaviors among People who Inject Drugs in Uganda: Implications for Policy and Programming
    (Harm Reduction Journal, 2019) Baluku, Matayo; Wamala, Twaibu; Muhangi, Denis
    There is a dearth of evidence on injecting drug use and associated HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in Uganda. As such, policy and programming for people who inject drugs (PWID) is limited due to scarcity of epidemiological data. We therefore conducted this study to assess the injecting drug and sexual practices among PWID in Kampala Capital City and Mbale Municipality.Using a rapid situation assessment framework, we conducted semi-structured interviews among 125 PWID (102 males and 23 females)—recruited through outreach and snowball sampling. We assessed their injecting drug and sexual practices. We also conducted 12 focus group discussions among PWID and 30 in-depth interviews among key informants.A total of 125 PWID (81.6% males and 18.4% females) were recruited into the study. Approximately three quarters of PWID started injecting before the age of 25. More females (21.7%) compared to males (13.7%) started injecting by the age of 17. Fifty-seven percent of the PWID in Kampala and 50% in Mbale shared injecting equipment in the last 3 months prior to the study. There was an emerging practice of mixing drugs with blood and sharing it among different PWID as a sign of oneness. Heroin was being injected by 72% of the participants. Less than one half of the PWID had used a condom during the last casual sex, and 42.7% did not use a condom the last time they engaged in sex work. Seventy-six percent of the PWID had undertaken an HIV test in the last 12 months, and 9.2% self-reported to be HIV positive.This study highlights the need for introducing harm reduction policies and services including increased access to sterile injecting equipment and education around safer injecting and sexual practices. Programs for PWID should also address the specific needs of female sex workers who inject drugs.