As reported by the WHO there are about 13 million estimated IDUs in the world out of which 43% of them belongs to the Asia Pacific region. This figures about 3.3 million in the Southeast Asia and 2.3 million in the East Asia and the Pacific. In some Asian countries 50-70% of HIV infections are due to injecting drug use. HIV prevalence greater than 20% was reported for sites in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, China, Thailand and Viet Nam among IDUs. In addition to this the co infection rate of HIV and HCV among IDUs is increasingly high in the region though there has been no tangible statistical data in this aspect. HIV-HCV coinfection is increasingly recognized worldwide and in particular within the Asia-Pacific region. Rates are particularly high -- up to 90% -- among IDUs, since both viruses are readily transmitted via shared needles and other injection equipment. In Southern China, for example, HCV prevalence among HIV positive IDUs is estimated to be 95%. High coinfection rates in IDU populations have also been reported in India, Nepal, and Thailand. It is evident and eminent that blood borne infections are rapidly spreading through injecting drug use. IDUs are the worst affected population in terms of acquiring these blood borne infections in the region. Within the regime of a limited and scarce response in terms of services related to prevention, treatment, care and support for positive IDUs there is an attached stigma & discrimination and outright violation of rights towards this population in various strata. As a result of this prevailing situation service access for Harm reduction programs like OST, NSEP, overdose management, condom distribution and other healthcare services are undermined. Depriving of service delivery on account of drug use and thus, creating a non conducive environment is a common practice in various settings at the region which makes beneficiaries inaccessible. Positive female IDUs who overlap with sex works faces more upheaval in terms of service accessibility adding to their constant abuse and violation of basic rights.

To respond to this situation APN+ takes the lead in forming a Positive IDU Working Group to contain the various constraint and challenges and to advocate the needs of this community in the region. As an initiation we have invited working group members who have participated in the research study on “the prevailing situation in accessing services relevant with Injecting drug users living with HIV” from Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, China and Nepal.

Activities carried out by the Working Group during the year 2008-2009 include research on access to HIV, HCV and other harm reduction services among positive IDU in six Asian countries, campaign partnership development on HCV and development of training modules.

Formalize a working group for IDUs who are living with HIV in the region in identifying and exploring issues so as to advocate the needs through strategic interventions, partnership development, capacity development of IDU on behalf of the APN+ positive IDU working group.