Since 2022, UNODC has resumed conducting trainings on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for people who use stimulant drugs in UNODC high priority countries on drug use and HIV, led by main trainer and international consultant Mat Southwell. The trainings are based on the UNODC Technical Guide on HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support for People Who Use Stimulant Drugs, published in 2019 (HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support for People Who Use Stimulant Drugs: Technical Guide (unodc.org)). This guide was developed by UNODC in collaboration with representatives from the community of people who use stimulant drugs and other international experts in the field. The purpose of this publication is to provide guidance on implementing HIV, hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV) programmes for people who use stimulant drugs and who are at risk of contracting these viruses.
For many years, the focus on HIV prevention among people who use drugs has concentrated on the injection of opiates. And, even though it is difficult to quantify the contribution the use of stimulants is making to the increase in HIV infection rates, most evidence points towards a positive association between stimulant use, higher-risk sexual and injecting behaviours and HIV infections. Current interventions need to be tailored to the needs of key populations (gay men and other men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers, transgender people, and prisoners and other incarcerated people) and made accessible to them.
This series of trainings on stimulants aims to build the capacity of service providers from governmental agencies and communities of key populations to implement evidence-based interventions on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for people who use stimulant drugs, based upon the UNODC Technical Guide. The course is always tailored to the local cultural context of each country setting.
In 2022 UNODC HAS initiated the development of e-learning tool consisting of two modules on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for people who use stimulant drugs that will be available on the UNODC eLearning platform.
With participation of government, civil society and healthcare providers, the training built stakeholder capacities to implement evidence-based interventions on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for people who use stimulant drugs based on the UNODC Technical Guide. Over 40 participants, including key populations, community members, activists and health care providers attended the training and enriched the meeting with their vibrant contributions.