Injecting Drug Users (IDUs)

Family Health International works with injecting drug users (IDUs) at the national and community levels. FHI’s national work focuses on advocacy; collection and use of strategic information (population size estimates, behavioral data, and HIV prevalence); and planning for scale up of HIV prevention, treatment, and care services. Locally, FHI supports agencies by providing training, technical assistance, funds, and monitoring and evaluation. In implementing USAID-funded programs, FHI abides by current US government (USG) policy stating that USG funds cannot be used to fund needle and syringe programs or research on needle and syringe programs. However, FHI does support such programs with assistance from other donors.

Outside of sub-Saharan Africa, injecting drug use (IDU) accounts for one in three new cases of HIV worldwide. The highest rates of HIV infection among IDUs occur in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Those who inject drugs contract HIV by sharing contaminated injecting equipment and drug preparations, as well as through sexual intercourse. Many initiate injecting in their teens or early twenties.

Related FHI Publications

Treatment and Care for HIV-positive Injecting Drug Users: A Training Course (2008, Flash)