More UNODC feature stories

Investing in harm reduction––sound economic sense
14 June 2013|
Spending money on harm reduction programmes for people who use drugs not only is a good investment but it also saves lives. This was the conclusion drawn at a meeting entitled Economics and financing of effective harm reduction strategies in the context of HIV which took place on the side-lines of the International Harm Reduction Conference held in Vilnius, Lithuania from 9-12 June.
HIV high on the agenda at the fifty-sixth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
12 March 2013|
In wide-ranging opening remarks to the current session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov placed HIV and drug use at the heart of the global agenda.
Alternative action on compulsory detention: Innovative responses in Asia
05 October 2012|
The National Assembly of Viet Nam passed a new Law on the Handling of Administrative Sanctions which effectively ends the practice of detaining sex workers in ‘05’ centres. The Law also allows drug users who are subject to compulsory treatment in drug detoxification centres to have court hearings on their cases and legal representation at the court.
HIV in Libya: New evidence and evolving response
28 June 2012|
The HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs in the Libyan capital Tripoli is at an alarming 87% according to the results from bio-behavioral surveys conducted by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine with the support of the European Union.
Recognizing the needs of female injecting drug users in north-east India
13 September 2011|
The specific needs of women who use drugs are being addressed by UNODC and its partners in a new programme in north-east India. Operating in four states in the region, the project is providing HIV services to a key but underserved population.
New monitoring centre helps tackle HIV in prisons in Latin America and the Caribbean
20 April 2011|
The newly established Monitoring Centre for HIV and Prisons in Latin America and the Caribbean is set to become a key regional repository for collecting and analysing data on HIV in prison settings.
Commission on Narcotic Drugs adopts resolution on scaled up HIV prevention among people who use drugs
28 March 2011|
The fifty-fourth session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) has adopted a resolution on Achieving zero new infections of HIV amongst injecting and other drug users.
Strategies for “getting to zero” and stopping new HIV infections among injecting drug users discussed as Commission on Narcotic Drugs opens in Vienna
23 March 2011|
High-level experts gathered for a round table on “Getting to Zero” – Achieving zero new HIV infections for injecting drug users, in Vienna Austria on 21 March 2011. The event took place on the opening day of the fifty-fourth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) which runs in the city until 25 March 2011.
Methadone substitution therapy helps prevent new HIV infections in Belarus
02 March 2011|
Substitution therapy with methadone was introduced in Belarus three years ago and has since expanded from one pilot clinic to a network of centres. Today, over 450 people in eight cities across the country are receiving treatment on a daily basis.
Kenya to adopt comprehensive HIV prevention package for people who inject drugs
23 February 2011|
The Kenyan government is taking an innovative approach to reducing HIV among injecting drug users. In a bold new initiative, the government is set to give drug users free access to HIV prevention and treatment services.
African HIV prisons network receives prestigious international award
02 November 2010|
The African HIV in Prisons Partnership Network has been presented with the prestigious 2010 Healthcare Award by the International Corrections and Prisons Association. Representing a major boost for the network, the award was given during the Association's recent annual conference in Belgium.
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UNODC: humane and effective drug dependence treatment
21 July 2010|
Detention of HIV positive drug users is not treatment for their dependence. Drug dependence is a health disorder and punishment is not the appropriate response. This was the key message contained in a UNODC discussion paper launched at the XVIII AIDS Conference in Vienna today.
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UNODC project provides cross-border HIV services to Afghan injecting drug users
16 April 2010|
Providing comprehensive HIV services for injecting drug users is critical to an effective HIV response. In recognition of this, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has begun to support the implementation of an initiative to make services accessible to Afghan refugees who use drugs in Iran and Pakistan, and also to Afghan drug users who have returned home.
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HIV epidemic in Eastern Europe will be highlighted at Vienna AIDS conference
15 March 2010|
The rapidly growing AIDS epidemic in Eastern Europe, fuelled primarily by unsafe injecting drug use, will be under the spotlight at the VIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010), to be held in Vienna in July.
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Call for urgent action to improve coverage of HIV services for injecting drug users
10 March 2010|
The fifty-third session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)—the central policy-making body of the United Nations in drug related matters—is running in Vienna until 12 March 2010. A new report by the Reference Group to the UN system on HIV and Injecting Drug Use shows that the coverage of effective interventions remains far short of what is needed.
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Spotlight on the Middle East and North Africa Region
27 January 2010|
The HIV epidemic in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, while seldom highlighted, is steadily growing. In 2008 there were an estimated 310 000 people living with HIV, up from 200 000 in 2001. In that same year, approximately 35 000 people became newly infected with HIV in the region.
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UN Office on Drugs and Crime tackles HIV in prisons
08 December 2009|
In most countries around the world there is a higher prevalence of HIV among prisoners than in the general population. This is due to a number of factors including the relative lack of knowledge about AIDS among prisoners, lack of access to protective measures, often violent conditions, overcrowding and inadequate health services. To help tackle this situation in Africa, UNODC, in partnership with WHO, the World Bank and UNAIDS has just launched the African HIV in Prisons Partnership Network (AHPPN).
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Advocating for HIV and Hepatitis C co-infection services for injecting drug users in India
15 September 2009|
Loon Gangte is President of the Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+) and a strong advocate of HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) prevention. In an interview with the Regional South Asia office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, he talks about stigma and discrimination and explains why HIV and HCV co-infection, especially among injecting drug users, is an issue needing urgent intervention.
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UNAIDS Cosponsors out in force for 9th ICAAP
09 August 2009|
The 10 UNAIDS Cosponsors are presenting a strong showing as thousands of delegates converge in Bali, Indonesia, to share ideas, knowledge, best practices, lessons learned and research findings at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP).
HIV IN PRISON
UNODC and Brazil promote action on AIDS in prison settings
22 April 2009|
Much more needs to be done to improve AIDS prevention, treatment and care services in Brazil’s prisons. This was the major conclusion emerging from the first national consultation on HIV in prison settings which took place in Brasilia between 31 March and 2 April.

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