People who inject drugs (PWID) are one of the key population groups requiring
more focused attention. Countries that have implemented a comprehensive
harm reduction approach have seen significant declines in new injecting drugrelated
HIV infections;i however, outside of sub-Saharan Africa, 33% of all new
HIV infections are among PWID, and in countries where HIV incidence is
increasing, 70–80% of HIV cases are among PWID.ii Other data confirm that the
target set for 2015 in the 2011 UN Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS for reducing
HIV transmission in this community is not yet in sight: