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Report

 

Author
Reid, G. & the Asian Harm Reduction Network (AHRN)
Title
The Hidden Epidemic: A Situation Assessment of Drug Use in South East and East Asia in the Context of HIV Vulnerability
Imprint
AHRN, February 1998
ISBN/ISSN
0 646 35605 4
Url
http://www.chr.asn.au/resources/libraryservices/docdownload/hiddenepidemic /list#309
Abstract

"In August 1997, the UNAIDS Asia Pacific Inter-Country Team (APICT) commissioned the Asian Harm Reduction Network (AHRN) to carry out a situation assessment into Drug Use and HIV Vulnerability in South East and East Asia. The report was requested to be presented to the APICT Task Force on Drug Use and HIV Vulnerability by November 11th, for consideration at the second APICT Task Force meeting in December 1997. This report details the findings from the situation assessment. It confirms that HIV infection among injecting drug users (IDUs) in SE and East Asia is a major problem, but one which few, if any, countries in Asia have responded to effectively. There are clear and large gaps in the ways in which this problem has been monitored, documented, and responded to, indicating the often low priority given by government officials to this public health issue. Drinking, smoking, snorting and other forms of drug ingestion are also contributing factors in the spread of HIV (e.g., alcohol consumption can influence sexual behaviour) but this report will focus on the direct risk of HIV posed through unsafe drug injecting, especially needle and syringe sharing."

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