UNAIDS noted that to achieve the Global AIDs Strategy 2021-2026 there must be a change in public health approach for drug users.
EXCLUSIVE: Northern senators move against Akpabio over alleged N4trn budget paddingClimate change, extreme weather, conflict exacerbate global food crisisEXCLUSIVE: Northern senators move against Akpabio over alleged N4trn budget paddingClimate change, extreme weather, conflict exacerbate global food crisis
It noted that in 16 countries with gender-disaggregated data, the reported median HIV prevalence among men who inject drugs was 9 per cent, while it nearly doubled among women who inject drugs.The report highlighted that in 2022, 630,000 deaths were AIDS-related while in 2019, nearly half a million people died from drug-related causes, with 15 per cent attributed to HIV.
“While criminalisation of drug possession for personal use persists, and as long as harm reduction services remain unavailable and underfunded, it will not be possible to end AIDS as a public health threat,” it said.The report observed stigmatisation and discrimination towards drug users have also contributed to their hiding.
It further revealed that more than 50 per cent of people who are opioid dependent have access to Opioid Agonist Maintenance Therapy , while 90 per cent of people who inject drugs have access to comprehensive harm reduction services linked to hepatitis C, UNAIDS added that to meet 2030 targets, US$ 2.7 billion which is 89 per cent of the resources would be needed for interventions to lower- and middle-income countries