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‘YOUNG PEOPLE USE DRUGS,’
Aram
Barra of Youth Rise told the
Neglected
issues
session. ‘This may seem obvious, but
in order to be effective, policy needs to be
realistic about drug use.’
Although states recognised the need to
protect young generations, this required
acknowledging ‘without judgement’ the reality
that children and young people used drugs,
he said. There was also an urgent need for
more disaggregated data, and to actively
include young people in policy formation.
‘Youth are not currently involved in policy
and programme design – they’re only seen
as recipients of services.’ There was also the
crucial issue of the ongoing criminalisation of
children and young people, he stressed.
‘We know what works, but we’re still far
from successful in responding. Some
organisations, such as IHRA, provide
excellent support, but we need to develop
further support for young people to bring
their perspectives to the debate.’
Get realistic
about young
people’s drug use
6 –
Daily Update
– DAY THREE – Wednesday 6 April 2011
Coordination vital to fight TB
Partnershipwith INPUD creates TB resource
IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT A THIRD OF
THE WORLD’S POPULATION
was
harbouring
M.tuberculosis
bacteria,
Haileyesus Getahun Gebre told the
Neglected issues
session. The risk of
developing TB itself was higher among
those living with HIV, he said, and there was
a higher TB risk among people who use
drugs regardless of HIV status, with up to 40
per cent of people who use drugs in Iran
infected.
There was also a link between TB,
injecting drug use and incarceration, he told
the conference. ‘One in 11 TB cases in high-
income countries are prisoners, as are one
in 16 in low-to-middle income countries.
Prisoners have around a 23 times higher risk
of TB than the general population.’ Hepatitis
B and C were also common among TB
patients, he stressed.
A functional coordinating body was vital
for a multi-sectoral response, he said, which
should include harm reduction programmes,
the criminal justice system, HIV organisations
and others. The key challenges, meanwhile,
were an absence of creditable data, lack of
ownership of services and collaboration
among stakeholders, the stigma linked with
multiple co-morbidities, and lack of
awareness among activists and advocates.
‘Addressing TB among injecting drug
users is a public health priority,’ he said.
‘Services should be scaled up in a client-
friendly manner with due respect to basic
human rights.’
SUNDAY SAW A GATHERING OF DRUG USER ACTIVISTS
to
continue a joint development programme on TB advocacy between
WHO, UNAIDS, HIT and the International Network of People who Use
Drugs (INPUD).
HIT, in partnership with INPUD, has been commissioned by WHO
and UNAIDS to develop a
TB advocacy guide for people who use
drugs
using a participative development model that engages the
expertise of drug user activists around the world.
Drug user activists from India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Russia, Georgia,
Portugal, Canada, and the UK were consulted on the draft of the TB
advocacy guide at a learning event on Sunday. A much wider group of
activists has been involved in three earlier TB advocacy workshops,
and more will be engaged through ongoing virtual consultation. The
resource will eventually be published in a range of languages.
This has helped raise awareness about the importance of TB for
people who use drugs and flagged up the significance of co-
infection with TB, HIV and viral hepatitis. The process has led to
drug user activists embracing TB advocacy, allowing for its
increasing integration.
‘People who use drugs have established advocacy skills and we can
be key agents for driving forward effective country responses to TB,’
said Mat Southwell from INPUD. Dr Haileyesus Gatahun Gebre from
WHO Stop TB Programme added: ‘We have expectations for this
partnership with HIT and INPUD.’
TB advocacy:
‘...Key agents for driving forward effective country
responses to TB.’
Haileyesus Getahun Gebre:
‘Addressing TB
among injecting drug users is a public
health priority.’