Rapid Situation and Response Assessment of Drugs and HIV in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka

Injecting drug use (opioids and pharmaceuticals) and HIV associated with injecting drug users (IDUs), has diffused rapidly in the South Asian region. Further, the sexual transmission of HIV from the IDUs to their non-injecting sexual partners has been established. Developing appropriate responses to this emerging problem requires a rapid situation and response assessment (RSRA) of drug users and their regular sexual partners. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Office for South Asia (UNODC ROSA) is implementing a regional project RAS/H13: Prevention of transmission of HIV among drug users in SAARC Countries. Through this project, a RSRA of HIV related risk behaviours, adverse health consequences, knowledge and attitudes relating to HIV/AIDS amongst drug users and their regular sex partners was carried out in five South Asian countries, namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.