Stories from UNODC

Reference Group calls on UN Member States to scale-up evidence-based interventions to address HIV among people who use drug

Kenya Government to provide HIV services for people who inject drug

Mombasa, Kenya - Government to provide free HIV services for people who inject drugs. Heroin users will soon have access to free HIV prevention and treatment. The Kenyan Government currently takes bold and innovative measures to reduce HIV transmission among risk populations. Read more ...

Commission on Narcotic Drugs requests to scale up HIV prevention among people who use drugs

Vienna 25 March, 2011 - The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its fifty-fourth session, took note of 2011-2015 UNAIDS Strategy aiming at zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero stigma and discrimination. Member States adopted a resolution requesting UNODC to provide advice and guidance on effective measures to scale up HIV prevention for people who use drugs and to reduce stigma and discrimination... Read more

Regional Seminar on Drugs and HIV/AIDS Responses

Integrated drug dependence treatment and HIV prevention training

First National Correctional System HIV Prevalence study in Indonesia Launched

Strategies for "getting to zero" discussed as Commission on Narcotic Drugs opens

Harm Reduction Advocacy Programme with Parliamentarians in Indonesia concludes successfully

Jakarta (Indonesia), 20 January 2011 - On 14 December 2010, the National AIDS Commission and UNODC held the final roundtable event in a long-running series of a harm reduction advocacy programme with members of Parliament. Read more ...

North-East India: HIV and AIDS prevention in prisons takes a significant stride

Asia and the Pacific: UN Regional Task Force meeting on injecting drug use and HIV/AIDS held in India

21 Februray 2011 - The UN Regional Task Force (RTF) meeting on injecting drug use and HIV/AIDS for Asia and the Pacific took place on 10 and 11 February 2011 in New Delhi, India. Read More ...

World AIDS Day commemorated across the world

Vienna, 1 December 2010 the 22nd anniversary of World AIDS Day. The theme for this year is "Universal Access and Human Rights". Commemorating World AIDS Day, a red ribbon illuminated the building of the UNODC office in Vienna to remember those lost to AIDS and to emphasize the importance of human rights for people living with HIV and people at risk of infection. Read more ...

Bangladesh: Unveiling the hidden tale of women affected by the drug epidemic

Dhaka, 25 November - The launch of the report titled "Female Drug Users and Female Regular Sex Partners of Male Drug Users in Bangladesh". Read more ...

Lessons learned from implementing the HIV/AIDS comprehensive harm reduction package in Indonesia

Jakarta, 15 November 2010 - Indonesia has made significant headway in addressing HIV prevention amongst drug users for over a decade. Read more ...

30 million men and women at risk for HIV every year in closed settings

In nearly all countries HIV prevalence in closed settings is particularly high, and higher than in the community, causing serious challenges to governments, non-governmental and international organizations. Close to 6% of male inmates tested at a São Paulo (Brazil) penitentiary, for example, were living with HIV. In several countries of sub-Saharan Africa, more than 20% or 30% of the prison population is living with HIV. Women in prisons are particularly affected by HIV. Read more ...

AIDS CONFERENCE 2010

July 18 - July 23 2010

Where: Reed Messe Wien, Messeplatz 1, Vienna

The International AIDS Conference is the premier gathering for those working in the field of HIV, as well as policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the pandemic. It is a chance to assess where we are, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course forward.

Given the 2010 deadline for universal access set by world leaders, AIDS 2010 will coincide with a major push for expanded access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. With a global economic crisis threatening to undermine public investments, the conference will help keep HIV on the front burner, and is a chance to demonstrate the importance of continued HIV investments to broader health and development goals. AIDS 2010 is also an opportunity to highlight the critical connection between human rights and HIV; a dialogue begun in earnest in Mexico City in 2008.The selection of the AIDS 2010 host city is a reflection of the central role Vienna has played in bridging Eastern and Western Europe, and will allow for an examination of the epidemic's impact in Eastern Europe.

The AIDS 2010 programme will present new scientific knowledge and offer many opportunities for structured dialogue on the major issues facing the global response to HIV. A variety of session types - from abstract-driven presentations to symposia, bridging sessions and plenaries - will meet the needs of various participants. Other related activities, including the Global Village, satellite meetings, exhibitions and affiliated events, will contribute to an exceptional opportunity for professional development and networking. Following the success of the pilot programme at AIDS 2008, the XVIII International AIDS Conference will provide or facilitate hubs (centres) where selected sessions of the conference will be screened, to increase the access to the conference programme.

Source: AIDS 2010 http://www.aids2010.org/Default.aspx?pageId=169

For more information about the location of the conference, please see http://www.messe.at/en/index.html

HAARP: Myanmar Achievements 2009

In 2008, HAARP HIV/AIDS Asia Regional Program, funded by Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), launched projects in China and five countries of South East Asia. This regional program was aimed at reducing the transmission of HIV amongst male and female injecting drug users. The Country Flexible Program (CFP) was contracted to local stakeholders as deemed appropriate.

One of the six country programs, CFP Myanmar has been working in close collaboration with Central Committee of the Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC), the main policy body steered by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The gradual but effective advocacy enhanced expansion of a further five project sites in the second half of 2009. The total of ten sites reached over 3800 injecting drug users, contributing to fifteen per cent of national coverage. Main sites provided a range of services while the NSP needle and syringe program operates in satellite sites.

Outreach to injecting drug users is necessary as Myanmar drug laws prevent them from seeking help at government agencies. The services provided to injecting drug users through fixed site locations and field outreach involved the distribution of preventive materials, diagnosis, referral for medical diseases and drug treatment, as well as nutritional and psychosocial support. Most clients reached to date have been male injecting drug users. CFP, in collaboration with Marie Stopes International, an organization working in the area of reproductive health, has initiated female specific corners and integrated effective family planning services to female injecting drug users, sexual partners and spouses of male drug users. Over 500 female clients visited the sites.

When a drug user is arrested, the failure to register as a user of illegal drugs results in a lengthy trial and imprisonment for a minimum of three years. Hence, CFP facilitated the National Legal Review and sought to influence punitive approaches. A set of recommendations generated from the review emphasized the need for clients to have access to drug treatment and rehabilitation. It also advocated for the decriminalization of drug misuse.

In 2009, CFP Myanmar made its contribution to increased national coverage of beneficiaries and a rapid roll out of harm reduction sites. It also piloted gender sensitive services. The AusAID annual review on HAARP Myanmar in March 2010 applauded its achievements and advised CFP to further its involvement with the national AIDS program and to increase collaboration with local stakeholders. AusAID also decided to launch vocational facilities at Myanmar sites by the year 2011.

Project Implementation in the Field

UNODC project to help Afghan drug users goes into action

If the AIDS epidemic is to be successfully challenged more needs to be done to provide comprehensive HIV services for drug users. UNODC has begun supporting implementation of a sub regional initiative to make such services accessible to Afghan refugees who use drugs in Iran and Pakistan, and to Afghan drug users who have returned home.

If the AIDS epidemic is to be successfully challenged in several regions more needs to be done to provide comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment services for drug users. In recognition of this, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has begun supporting implementation of a sub regional initiative to make such services accessible to Afghan refugees who use drugs in Iran and Pakistan, and to Afghan drug users who have returned home.

Under the project, ongoing since 2009 and funded by the government of the Netherlands, two grants have been awarded by UNODC to non-governmental organisations to provide services to Afghan drug users in Herat province, bordering Iran and Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan. One of the objectives of the project is to develop an enabling environment that supports a regional network of HIV services across borders so that Afghan refugees will be able to access these services when they go back to their country.

Khatiz Organisation for Rehabilitation in Herat and the Health and Social Development Organisation in Nangarhar are using mobile outreach units to offer a wide-ranging raft of interventions. These include targeted information, education and communication; distributing clean needles and syringes; promoting and distributing condoms; treating and helping prevent sexually transmitted infections; primary healthcare such as abscess management; referral to HIV voluntary counseling and testing services and antiretroviral treatment.

To build capacity of NGO staff and government officials and help to successfully implement the project, five days of training in HIV and drug use for doctors, nurses, social workers, project managers and employees from the women's prison recently took place in Kabul. During the meeting, also attended by high-level delegations from the government, UN agencies and NGOs, the seriousness of the situation in Afghanistan was revealed. Dr.Mohammad Zafar, Deputy Minister of Counternarcotics, told the gathering that according to a 2005 UNODC survey, the country has one million drug users including 19,000 who inject.

According to Dr.Ajmal Sabaoon, National AIDS Control Programme Manager, Afghanistan is moving from a low-level epidemic towards a concentrated epidemic. He briefed participants on results of an Integrated Biological and Behavioral Survey (IBBS) conducted by John Hopkins University, which indicates that HIV prevalence among injecting drug users in three major cities of the country (Kabul, Herat and Mazar) has increased from 3% to 7% from 2007 to 2010.

Historically, despite this group's increased vulnerability to HIV they have not been able to access comprehensive and tailored HIV interventions. The UNODC and its partners hope that by serving those who use drugs that inroads can be made into the sub regional AIDS epidemic as a whole.

Protecting drug users against HIV is one of the nine priority areas in the UNAIDS Outcome Framework 2009-11. This can be aided by making comprehensive, evidence-informed and human-rights-based interventions, such as harm reduction and demand reduction, accessible to all who need them.

Scaling up HIV-related services for Afghan refugees who use drugs

17 March 2010 - Over the years, many Afghans have found themselves caught in the middle of two great, devastating forces: war, which has resulted in displacement on a massive scale, and the drug problem, which in many cases has caught up with those who have fled Afghanistan as they wait, often in refugee camps or makeshift shelters in Iran (Islamic Republic of) and Pakistan, to either return to their homes or start a new life elsewhere. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of January 2009 over 2.8 million Afghans were living outside their country in "refugee-like conditions". Stuck in limbo with nothing to do, under great pressure and with drugs abundantly available, many of these refugees have become addicted to drugs.

At a training session held in Kabul from 24 to 28 January 2010, the Afghan Deputy Minister of Counter-Narcotics, Mohammed Zafar, said that, according to a 2005 drug use survey carried out by UNODC "there are 1 million drug users in Afghanistan, of whom 19,000 are injecting drug users". The consequences of this situation for individual and collective well-being are serious, undermining people's basic ability to lead healthy and productive lives.

As Ajmal Sabaoon, National AIDS Control Programme Manager, pointed out at that training event, the need to limit the spread of HIV is of particular concern, as "Afghanistan is moving towards experiencing a concentrated epidemic". Mr. Sabaoon shared the findings of the Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey conducted by John Hopkins University, which indicated that HIV prevalence among injecting drug users in Kabul, Herat and Mazar had increased from 3 to 7 per cent.

The training session was held in the framework of a subregional project that was launched by UNODC in 2009 with the aim of providing comprehensive HIV prevention and care services to Afghan drug users who are refugees in Iran (Islamic Republic of) or Pakistan, or who were refugees and have returned to Afghanistan. Under that project, UNODC has awarded two grants to NGOs providing HIV prevention, treatment and care services to Afghan drug users. The Health and Social Development Organization was selected to provide services in Nangarhar province (bordering Pakistan) and the Khatiz Organization for Rehabilitation was selected to provide services in Herat province (bordering the Islamic Republic of Iran).

Consistent with the vision articulated by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) of granting people living with HIV or at risk of contracting the virus universal access to a comprehensive package of services, the NGOs are expected to do the following in the province assigned to them:

• Provide targeted information, education and communication services

• Distribute clean needles and syringes

• Promote and distribute condoms

• Provide services for the treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted infections

• Make available primary health care, including abscess management

• Refer drug users for opioid substitution therapy

• Refer drug users who need it for voluntary HIV counselling and testing services and antiretroviral therapy, as well as drug dependence treatment, psychosocial services, and testing and treatment for tuberculosis, hepatitis C and hepatitis B

The project, which is funded by the Government of the Netherlands, also aims to create an enabling environment for the creation of a regional network of HIV prevention and care service providers, thereby guaranteeing a continuation of services.

High-level delegations from the Government of Afghanistan, United Nations agencies and NGOs participated in the training session. Among the attendees were Mohammad Zafar, Deputy Minister of Counter-Narcotics; Ajmal Sabaoon, National AIDS Control Programme Manager; General Mukhtar, Deputy of the Central Prison Department of Afghanistan; Abullah Wardak, Drug Demand Reduction Manager of the Ministry of Public Health; Nelly Blokker, Second Secretary for Political Affairs, Embassy of the Netherlands; Jean-Luc Lemahieu, UNODC Country Representative in Afghanistan; Ashita Mittal, UNODC Deputy Country Representative in Afghanistan; Jehanzeb Khan, Consultant for the UNODC project on prison reform; Sarah Waller, UNODC Consultant; and Tahir Wardak, UNHCR National HIV Project Officer.

Commissioner of correctional services in Swaziland gets tested for HIV

5 March 2010- Following the presentation of advocacy materials by UNODC to the Swazi correctional services, Commissioner Isaiah Ntshangase said he would like to take a public HIV test. UNODC collaborated with the Correctional Services' committee dealing with HIV and asked Population Services International to do the test since it provides health testing and counselling services.

The event, which took place on 5 March 2010, was combined with a regular "road march", in other words a physical fitness exercise for staff, between Nokwane to Mawelawela Women's Correctional Institution, a stretch of approximately 15 km. UNODC Project Coordinator Patrick Dlamini joined the march.

After taking the test, Commissioner Ntshangase encouraged all prison staff to find out what their HIV status was and condemned the stigma and discrimination that people living with HIV are often subjected to. He called on prison staff to support one another and build a strong team.

Launch of prison sports tournament

Venue: Matsapha Central Prison

13 February 2010- Patrick Dlamini (UNODC coordinator) discussing a point with Phindile Dlamini (Assistant Commissioner, Administration), while Clifford Vilakati (Assistant Commissioner, Operations) looks on during the launch of the prison sports tournament in Matsapha Prison.The launch was organized by UNODC together with the HIV Committee and the Sports Committee of Matsapha Central Correctional Institution. It was attended by prison staff and adult prisoners (men and women) from the 12 correctional institutions in the country and representatives from Population Services International, who made a presentation on male circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy. The event started with a small session on precautions that can be taken to prevent HIV transmission (by Mrs. Anne Motsa, Staff nurse). Then, PSI gave a presentation on male circumcision and remarks were made by UNODC.

In addition, HIV peer educators acted out a sketch on HIV prevention and treatment. The sketch demonstrated how antiretroviral treatment could protect people and the types of behaviours increased risk of contracting HIV. For example, defaulting on medication could lead to more of the virus entering the body, making the person very weak, while antiretroviral treatment could sustain the person. The peer educators wore the T-shirts UNODC had given to the Correctional Services.

A total of 80 soccer balls were presented. Between four to six balls (depending on the size of the prison) and a soccer kit were presented to each correctional institution, and two soccer balls were presented to each prison for use by staff. Other materials presented include: t-shirts, small blankets, bath towels and playing cards for prisoners, as well as desk calendars for staff, all with HIV prevention messages printed on them.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr. MD Dlamini, thanked UNODC for the support accorded to the department in the fight against HIV and for its contribution to the rehabilitation of offenders. He further applauded UNODC for its involvement and collaboration with all other partners in supporting the HIV programme of the Correctional Services and requested for further support for the future. He promised that the materials would be utilized by the prisoners and that promised that the balls and playing cards would be treated with the care necessary for them to last longer.

WORLD AIDS DAY 2009 in Vienna

1 December 2009- On 1 December people around the world commemorated World AIDS Day, and several hundred colleagues, families, students and diplomats in the Vienna International Centre were no exception. The rotunda was filled with numerous information booths, to include the VIC Joint Medical Services, UN Cares and local NGO's of AIDSHILFE Wien and Buddyverein.

There were also quizzes with small awareness-building prizes, a video of some of the faces of HIV being displayed. Donations for ribbon and mouse-pad sales were just over EUR 4,100 this year, which will be donated to the NGO's. But for many visitors to the rotunda, the performance by members of the drama group at the Vienna International School (VIS) was the highlight. The students, covered with masks to indicate positive HIV status, walked around the rotunda and placed stickers on passersby every six seconds, to represent the frequency of new infections and the prevalence of the pandemic. This moving performance, which the students created themselves, was set to a recording of dramatic music and voices revealing newly-positive HIV status.

Following this short play, two VIS students read a special World AIDS Day address from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. This address emphasized the importance of obeying the human rights of those infected by HIV and of people in prison settings, urging everyone to work to counter any form of HIV-related stigma and discrimination. Mr. Ban challenged all countries to remove punitive laws, policies and practices that hamper the AIDS response, including travel restrictions against people living with HIV. In closing, his speech said that responses to the HIV and AIDS epidemic have to be based on evidence, not ideology, and reach those most in need and most affected.

Then Gilberto Gerra, Chief of the Health and Human Development Section, addressed the audience, echoing the 2009 theme, "I am living my rights", when he emphasized the importance of the right to be educated about and protected from HIV. Mr. Gerra went on to say that violation of rights leads to stigma and discrimination, and that is our greatest obstacle to prevent the transmission of HIV.

Following the short speeches, the students from the VIS, donned in red T-shirts, formed a human red ribbon, which was photographed from above. Then they released 500 red balloons in the Memorial Plaza to conclude the public programme.

Just after the public programme ended, Christian Kroll, Global Coordinator for HIV and AIDS delivered a presentation to the Permanent Missions about UNODC's work pertaining to HIV and AIDS. He emphasized UNODC role, in conjunction with UNAIDS to address such challenges as human trafficking, injecting drug users, and those in prison settings. He highlighted some of the challenges UNODC staff members face in combating these issues on the ground.

Then, Marjana Grandits from the International Aids Society gave an overview of the AIDS 2010 conference which will be organized in Vienna in July 2010. Some of the Permanent Missions discussed these issues in greater detail. At the end of the session the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran made a strong statement about the responsibility of the member states with regards to the fight against HIV and AIDS.

HIV prevention, treatment and care among female drug users and women in prisons

22-29 November 2009- A regional project on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support for female injecting drug users and women in prison settings has been implemented since 2008 in three countries: Afghanistan, Nepal and Pakistan.The project is funded by Norway. In Afghanistan, the project is being implemented in the provinces of Kabul, Balkh and Herat, including in two prisons for women in Kabul and Herat through four governmental and non-governmental organizations.

In order to build the capacity of the staff of these organizations and the National AIDS Control Programme, a training session on comprehensive harm reduction was carried out from 22 to 26 November 2009 in Tehran by the Iranian National Centre for Addiction Studies (INCAS) in close coordination with the UNODC Country Office in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

INCAS is a research and training centre for interventions in substance use, treatment and harm reduction in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It serves as a "knowledge hub" for the Middle East and North Africa Harm Reduction Association (MENHARA) and also acts as a resource centre for UNODC's global Treatnet project.

Of the 17 Afghan participants, 12 were women service providers. This was a significant achievement in view of the fact that Afghan culture poses restrictions on working women's participation in public affairs. Several of the participants had travelled abroad for the first time without being accompanied by a family member.

The training session was officially opened by Dr. Mohsenifar, Head of INCAS. She welcomed participants and said that INCAS had arranged eight rounds of harm reduction training sessions, including the current one, three for Afghan and five for Iranian services providers.

The training session was delivered in the local language and used participatory learning techniques. Site visits were made to opioid substitution therapy centres, the Khan-E-Khorshed female drop-in-centre and Qazal Hesar prison.

The entire team met with Dr. Saed Sefatian, Director General of Drug Treatment, Rehabilitation and Vocational Training (Drug Control Headquarters), Dr. Zubair Zahidi (Head of the Drug Treatment Office), Dr. Qumbari (Head of the Harm Reduction Office). They welcomed participants and discussed strengthening the support of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to increase the capacity of Afghans to address HIV and drug use.

Some of the topics covered during the training:

• Addiction (definitions, epidemiology)

• Gender differences in addiction

• Visiting clients of a harm reduction centre

• Harm reduction centres and outreach services

• Detoxification and relapse prevention

• Opioid substitution therapy

• Harm reduction: definitions, effectiveness, cost effectiveness

• Harm reduction acts

• Harm reduction in prison settings

• Challenges in establishing harm reduction programmes

• Voluntary counselling and testing: counselling basics in HIV/AIDS

V. Latin American and Caribbean Forum on HIV/AIDS and STD's

21-23 November 2009, Lima- The FORO 2009 was officially launched by the Minister of Health of Peru, Dr Oscar Raúl Ugarte Ubilluz together with the Minister of Labour, Jorge Elisban Villasante Aranibar, Director of Health Services of Peru, Dr Edward Cruz Sánchez, UNAIDS Regional Director for Latin America, César Antonio Núñez, Mrs. Guiselly Flores Arroyo, representing the Latin American network of people living with HIV, and Dr Jose Luis Sebastian Mesones, Technical Secretariat of the Horizontal Technical Cooperation Group and National AIDS Coordinator from Peru.

The team of UNODC who was present at the forum (staff from Latin America and from HQ) presented the UNODC HIV/AIDS Unit activities at the V Latin American conference on HIV and AIDS. These conferences are taking place every two years and give people the chance to discuss and highlight HIV related issues in that region. About 4000 people attended the conference. UN organizations, Government representatives, NGOs, scientists and networks were present, gave lectures and displayed their material.