Interest of a Center Dedicated to People Who Use Drugs

Médecins du Monde (MDM), an international NGO which, under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, in collaboration with several community associations and national partners, conducts prevention and medical care programs for the most vulnerable populations, particularly drug users. It conducted a biobehavioral study in 2015 and estimated the number of vulnerable drug users in the city of Abidjan alone at between 6,000 and 10,000. Drug use is an important factor in the epidemiology of tuberculosis, HIV and viral hepatitis B and C. People who use drugs have difficulty following anti-tuberculosis treatment correctly, partly because of drug addiction (modification of the central nervous system with disruption of the memory and learning centers), which makes it difficult to comply with long and complex treatments. Barriers to access to care linked to strong stigmatization and discrimination are also specific issues for adherence to treatment.