Operating needle exchange programmes in the hills of Thailand

Injecting drug use is increasingly markedly amongst the ethnically distinct Hilltribe peoples of northern Thailand in the notorious 'Golden Triangle'. This paper reports on the establishing of needle exchanges in three remote Hilltribe villages, examining the success and the failure. Up to 60% of adult males and a smaller percentage of adult females in these villages are habitual users of opium and/or heroin. Overcoming initial concern that needle distribution would encourage increased use, the villagers themselves have assumed responsibility for much of the needle exchange operation. Prior to the introduction of the needle exchanges all the injecting drug users were sharing needles. This behaviour changed significantly with the introduction of the exchanges. Reluctance on the part of locally-based government officials to participate fully in the programme created difficulties in maintaining needle supplies which saw some resumption in needle sharing. HIV seroprevalence rates amongst the tested injecting drug users remained fairly stable at 33% in February 1993 and 32% in February 1994. The conclusion can be drawn that needle exchange programmes are operable in the Hilltribe context and that they are the best means of limiting HIV/AIDS transmission amongst injecting drug users and the wider community. The success of needle exchange programmes, however, is dependent upon co-operation from various government agencies and non-government agencies, in addition to the local communities. To this end mechanisms ensuring co-operation, training, monitoring and evaluation need to be developed alongside the introduction of needle exchanges.