The Global commitments to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 and eliminate hepatitis C among people who use drugs - Statement at the 67th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

14 March 2024 – A statement on the current coverage of harm reduction services, community service delivery, and people-centred, human rights-based drug policies was delivered in the Ceremonial Opening Session of the High Level Segment of the 67^th Commission on Narcotic Drugs by Nora Volkow the Director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, on behalf of Sharon Lewin, President of IAS. The video recording and transcript of the statement can be found here: Reducing harms associated with drug use | International AIDS Society (IAS) (iasociety.org).

The statement resulted from a pivotal multi-stakeholder consultation was jointly organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) HIV/AIDS Section, International AIDS Society (IAS), International Network of People who use Drugs (INPUD), World Health Organization (WHO), and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

This year's statement highlighted the importance of needle and syringe programs, opioid agonist therapy and naloxone for overdose management, which all are essential parts of a person-centred, evidence-based HIV and hepatitis response. “In countries that implement these services at scale and have strong records in protecting human rights, HIV and hepatitis C transmission rates among people who inject drugs are significantly reduced while drug use and other drug-related harms do not increase.” Lewin said.

Criminalization, over-policing, stigma, and discrimination against people who use drugs (PWUD) hinder their access to essential healthcare and harm reduction services. These factors lead to an increased risk of overdose as well as HIV and viral hepatitis transmission and contribute to the denial of their fundamental rights that perpetuates their marginalization within society.

To prevent the unacceptable levels of overdose mortality and transmission of HIV and viral hepatitis, it was recommended to act on the evidence and continue to support more data collection, research, innovation, and community leadership as well as increasing collaboration with the widest possible range of partners and stakeholders, especially those who have historically been excluded.

“Scaling up the HIV and hepatitis programmes among people who use drugs requires adequate funding, robust resourcing, and leadership. Punitive laws, legal policies and practices should be revised by policymakers, with meaningful engagement of the community of people who use drugs” Lewin said.

Capitalizing on the knowledge and experience of PWUD, funding them to design and implement harm reduction programmes, and putting our human-rights obligations at the heart of our response are paramount.