See also:
 

Harm reduction in Asia: assessing progress towards universal access to key services for people who inject drugs

Bangkok (Thailand), 26 March 2010 - In 2006, the United Nations Regional Task Force on Injecting Drug Use and HIV/AIDS for Asia and the Pacific commissioned the Centre for Harm Reduction at Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health to undertake a baseline assessment of policies, programmes and services for injecting drug users in South and South-East Asia.

In 2009, the Task Force asked Burnet Institute to update the assessment, with the aim of collecting specific information on existing activities and conditions that facilitate or hinder the implementation of harm reduction services in selected countries. The information can also be used by the Task Force to improve its effectiveness in driving the harm reduction response and for strategic planning purposes at country level in the coming years.

By strengthening the knowledge base regarding the kinds and extent of key services available to people who inject drugs in South and South-East Asia, and by identifying gaps, the study represents a contribution by the Task Force to the goal of scaling up HIV prevention, treatment and care services in the region.

UNODC is a co-sponsor of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the lead agency in the UNAIDS family for HIV and AIDS prevention and care among injecting drug users and in prison settings. The UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific is a co-chair of the Task Force. 

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2009 Final Report - updating of the baseline assessment of status of policies, resources and services for people who inject drugs (2006) and analysis of gaps in the country responses to injecting drug use and HIV/AIDS

2006 Baseline Assessment Report of the current status of resources, policies and services for injecting drug use and HIV/AIDS in South and South East Asia

Acknowledgements: These reviews were made possible with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).