Drug Use and HIV
People who use drugs have multiple vulnerabilities to HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis and other infectious
diseases.
More than 11 million people inject drugs
1.4 million are living with HIV
5.5 million are living with hepatitis
C
1.2 million are living with both HIV and
hepatitis C
The WHO/ UNODC/UNAIDS Technical Guide to reduce HIV infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) sets out nine interventions
proven effective in reducing HIV transmission among this population. Universal access to the comprehensive package of nine
interventions is a priority. Of these nine, the first four have been identified as the most effective in reducing the spread
of HIV: when delivered at scale the four can contain and reverse the upward trend of HIV epidemics among PWID.
WHO has also recommended opioid overdose management with community distribution of naloxone for overdose prevention. Opioid
overdose is both preventable and, if witnessed, treatable (Consolidated
Guidelines on HIV Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment and Care for Key Populations, WHO 2016).
A comprehensive package of interventions for the prevention, treatment and care of HIV among people who inject drugs
In most countries, coverage of HIV prevention services for people who inject drugs is too low to have an impact on the
HIV epidemic.
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Less than 1% of all PWID live in countries with high coverage of both needle and syringe programmes and
opioid substitution therapy
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Only 33 needles/syringes are provided per PWID per year – compared to
the high coverage target of >200
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Only 16% PWID are receiving OST – compared to the high coverage target of >40%
