Red Cross Scolds 'Failed' HIV Policy Among Nations

The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) is urging countries to adopt new strategies for addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic among injecting drug users (IDUs). More than 80 percent of governments worldwide "are inclined to artificial realities, impervious to the evidence that treating people who inject drugs as criminals is a failed policy that contributes to the spread of HIV," said the federation, which represents national Red Cross chapters in nearly every country of the world.

In a 24-page report released ahead of World AIDS Day, IFRC suggests ways to lessen HIV transmission due to shared needles. Governments must address this "public health emergency" by providing health services such as substitute drug therapy and needle-exchange programs. Studies consistently demonstrate that NEPs can reduce transmission rates by as much as 42 percent, the federation said.

"The IFRC is focusing on [IDUs] because a growing body of evidence shows that failing to reach them with harm reduction programs not only jeopardizes their own health, but also the safety of the public at large," said Red Cross President Tadateru Konoe.

Many addicts sell sex to pay for their habit, which "massively increases the likelihood of spreading HIV into an unsuspecting public," said IFRC. More than 3 million IDUs are HIV-positive - nearly one-tenth of the 33.3 million people worldwide who have HIV/AIDS.

China, Russia, Malaysia, Ukraine, and Vietnam are experiencing "mega-epidemics" of HIV among IDUs. In some countries, including Russia, Iran, and Georgia, IDUs account for more than 60 percent of HIV infections, said IFRC.

An estimated 16 million people globally inject drugs, and IFRC said it has become a fast-growing trend on every continent.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


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