Karuri Medically Assisted Therapy, a clinic for the rehabilitation of drug addicts, has been handed over to the Kiambu government and Kenya Prison Services.
Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders handed over the clinic after a five year stint.
The MAT clinic at Karuri hospital in Kiambaa sub-county, Kiambu, provides access to medical substitutes for opioids such as heroine, reducing related health risks and deaths of users.
“The MAT clinics are a one-stop medical facilities approach, with a holistic approach to treatment beyond opioid substitution,” MSF Country Director in Kenya, Dr Edi Atte, said.
“This includes the prevention of infections and transmission of HIV and viral hepatitis which are caused by using unsterile needles, prevention and treatment of TB, mental health and psychosocial support, and re-integration support with family and community.”
Kiambu ranks amongst counties in Kenya with the highest number of people who use drugs (PWUDs), specifically heroin use.
The most affected sub-counties include Kiambaa, Juja, Thika and Kikuyu.
MAT services are offered within the precincts of Karuri Level 4 Hospital in Banana ward, bringing treatment closer to patients’ homes to enhance adherence to the process.
The clinic provides prescription drugs for pain relief and treatment of drug addiction as a component of harm reduction.
“The harm reduction approach aims at reducing negative health, social, legal, and financial consequences of drug addiction,” Atte explained.
To enhance social reintegration and economic self-reliance for patients already stable and in school or working, the MAT clinic ensures PWUDs receive at most two weeks of dosage.
Patients unable to access the daily dose due to reasons such as illness, injuries or school, get daily home or hospital deliveries through peer educators.
The dose is packaged and locked in a box for safe keeping at home, for those who are unable to make it daily to the facilities.
Since its establishment, 1,619 PWUDs have benefitted from the clinic’s holistic program, with 556 currently receiving care.
MSF from Belgium enrolled the clinic’s first patients in September 2019.
Atte said they have handed over two more MAT clinics to Kenya Prisons Services in Ruiru Prisons Staff Training College Health Centre and Thika GK Prison, which serve both incarcerated patients and those from the communities.
Healthcare workers were trained ahead of the handover and the County Department of Health Services and the Prisons committed to provide the services to PWUDs.
“We have healthcare workers who now have the knowledge on patient care and management of the clinic,” Dr Elias Maina, said.
The County Executive Committee Member for Health added, “We acknowledge that the MAT services are still crucial for the patients from Kiambu, and for that reason, we will continue with the services even after MSF exit.”
