Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of a Pilot Study To Integrate Buprenorphine into a Harm-reduction Drop-in-Center in Kampala, Uganda

Authors

• Julia Dickson-Gomez, Medical College of WisconsinFollow
• Sergey Tarima, University of KentuckyFollow
• Wamala Twaibu, Uganda Harm Reduction Network
• Dan Katende, Uganda Harm Reduction Network
• Latifah Kyeswa, Uganda Harm Reduction Network
• Laura Glasman, Medical College of Wisconsin
• Arthur Kiconco, Medical College of Wisconsin
• Sarah Krechel, Medical College of Wisconsin
• Bryan Johnston, Medical College of Wisconsin
• Moses Ogwal, Makerere School of Public Health
• Brian Byamah Mutamba, Butabika National Referral Hospital
• Peter Mudiope, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
• Stella Alamo, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kampala, Uganda
• Rhoda Wanyenze, Makerere University
• Geofrey Musinguzi, Makerere University

Abstract

Illicit drug use has been increasing rapidly in Sub-Saharan Africa in the past decade. However, until recently HIV prevention has largely ignored people who inject drugs and medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD) were largely absent. This paper reports results of a pilot intervention that integrated buprenorphine into a harm-reduction drop-in-center for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) in Kampala, Uganda. We collected implementation outcomes and changes in self-reported drug use after buprenorphine initiation. We conducted qualitative interviews with a subset of 14 participants who had initiated buprenorphine. Sixty-two participants were screened for OUD, of whom 57 were eligible for buprenorphine; of those, 55 initiated buprenorphine and 39 were still taking buprenorphine at three months (70.9%). Participants reported significant reductions in opioid use, marijuana and cocaine at 3-month follow up (p <  0.001, p = 0.006 p <  0.001 respectively). Integration of buprenorphine into DICs was successful and removed many barriers patients face in accessing MOUD.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

Notes/Citation Information

© The Author(s) 2025

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-025-04978-3

Funding Information

This study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R34DA052178).

Repository Citation

Dickson-Gomez, Julia; Tarima, Sergey; Twaibu, Wamala; Katende, Dan; Kyeswa, Latifah; Glasman, Laura; Kiconco, Arthur; Krechel, Sarah; Johnston, Bryan; Ogwal, Moses; Mutamba, Brian Byamah; Mudiope, Peter; Alamo, Stella; Wanyenze, Rhoda; and Musinguzi, Geofrey, "Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of a Pilot Study To Integrate Buprenorphine into a Harm-reduction Drop-in-Center in Kampala, Uganda" (2026). Biostatistics Faculty Publications. 76.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/biostatistics_facpub/76