Prevention and Harm reduction (drug users)
Since HIV spreads so rapidly amongst injecting drug users (IDU) it is vital to intervene at the earliest opportunity. Eliminating drug use is not regarded as an achievable short-term goal. Harm reduction programmes seek to limit the health risks of (injecting) drug use. Sharing needles and syringes is the main mode of transmission amongst IDU, together with unprotected sex. There is strong evidence that increasing the availability of sterile injecting equipment for drug users contributes to reductions in the rate of HIV transmission. The most successful harm reduction programmes are those that offer a combined package of intervention.
