People who use illegal drugs face severe stigma and discrimination and lack access to much-needed health services. Even when these services are available, many drug users are afraid to make use of them because of fear for imprisonment and human rights abuses. As a result, sharing/using unsterile injecting equipment is the primary route of HIV transmission in many regions in the world. Rather than framing people who use drugs as the problem, Bridging the Gaps considers them as part of the solution in addressing problems associated with drugs and drug policies around the world.
5 things one should know about people who use drugs
There are an estimated 16 million injecting drug users globally of whom some 3 million are living with HIV or AIDS;
One in three new HIV infections outside of sub-Saharan Africa occur among injecting drug users; 10% globally;
People who inject drugs have tuberculosis infections rates 6-10 times higher than the general population. Moreover, people who inject drugs have strongly elevated Hepatitis C infection rates;
Drugs are available in prisons. In prisons in Eastern and Central Europe, HIV and TB incidents are 10-20 times higher than in the general pulation, yet access to decent healthcare services in prisons is very limited;
Harm reduction works – programmes including needle exchange and opioid substitution services have proven to be effective in reducing HIV transmission and providing effective treatment and care for drug users.
Bridging the Gaps: together with people who use drugs are as follows:---
We improve the quality of and access to HIV prevention, treatment, continuous care and services for people who use drugs;
We advocate for needle exchange programmes and opioid substitution programmes;
We advocate for the provision of harm reduction services in prisons and other confined spaces that are of a standard equal to that available to the general population;
We integrate existing services and create new ones to ensure adequate access to healthcare that is fully compliant with human rights;
We improve the human rights and strengthen the capacity of drug user organisations that work on HIV, human rights and harm reduction.