The Centre de Prise en Charge Intégrée des Addictions de Dakar (CEPIAD), which opened in December 2014, is an addiction reference centre in Dakar for Senegal and the wider region. To date, it has cared for 1200 people, including approximately 250 people currently enrolled on its opioid substitution therapy programme.

In Senegal, HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs is 3.7%, well above the average of 0.4% among the general population. HIV prevalence is higher among female drug users (13%) than among men (3%), but women represent less than 10% of CEPIAD’s active caseload. In response, CEPIAD has reached out to women who inject drugs. With the support of UNAIDS, and in collaboration with the Conseil National De Lutte Contre le Sida, CEPIAD organized a week of activities around World AIDS Day to address the specific needs of women.

“Women were at the heart of the organization of this week. We want to remove the misrepresentations and misunderstandings that hinder their attendance at the centre,” said Ibrahima Ndiaye, Deputy Coordinator of CEPIAD.

Women were able to access HIV and hepatitis C screening services, gynaecology consultations, including cervical cancer screening, and addiction counselling. Talks with female drug users and a debate on harm reduction were organized on 1 December, World AIDS Day.

A three-day training on making soap, using honey, aloe vera, shea butter, palm oil and mbeurbeuf, and a batik workshop were also offered. More than 50 women participated and the products were sold on the closing day of the week of activities.

Ndeye Khady, the founder of the batik workshop, is a former crack smoker who is currently accessing opioid substitution therapy and antiretroviral therapy at CEPIAD, where she met her husband, also a former drug user. “My dream now is to have a child. I am so grateful that I have been able to take advantage of the services offered. I encourage more women to use them,” she said.