World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific

Harm reduction among injecting drug users

Harm reduction is the application of good public health principles to the problem of HIV. It is a phrase used to describe a concept aiming to prevent or reduce negative health consequences associated with certain behaviours.

In relation to drug use, harm reduction is consistent with a pragmatic public health approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in which evidence-based HIV/AIDS strategies targeting drug users are promoted.

Injecting drug use is one of the fastest growing routes of HIV infection in many parts of the world, primarily because needles, syringes and drug preparation equipment are frequently shared, enabling rapid spread of the virus.

OVERVIEW

  • Injecting drug use, through needle and syringe sharing, remains a major path of transmission in China, Malaysia and Viet Nam.
  • In the Region, prevention means essentially developing two types of actions on a large scale. First, condom promotion programmes in all risky situations -- acknowledging that the condom is truly the only preventive vaccine when it comes to HIV/AIDS. And second, harm-reduction programmes, including possible substitution treatment like methadone for injecting drug users.
  • In collaboration with WHO Headquarters and the South-East Asia Region, the Western Pacific Regional Office has developed a strategic framework for a harm-reduction-based approach to HIV prevention among injecting drug users in Asia.
  • Partnerships with beneficiaries, as well as sex workers, injecting drug users, youth, people living with HIV/AIDS, need to be strengthened dramatically. Their participation from the design and planning to the implementation and the monitoring and evaluation of all prevention and care programmes will be essential.


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