Key Changes Made in the Lives of People who Use Drugs in China, Kenya, India, Indonesia and Malaysia

Community Action on Harm Reduction (CAHR) is an ambitious programme implemented between 2011 and 2015 with the objective of expanding coverage of HIV prevention, treatment and care, sexual and reproductive health and other services to more than 230,000 people who inject drugs (PWID), their partners and children in five countries – China, India, Indonesia, Kenya and Malaysia – and, since 2015, with the addition of Myanmar, through funding from the Social Department/Health and AIDS Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of The Netherlands. Due to specific higher-risk behaviours, PWID are at increased risk of HIV irrespective of the epidemic type or local context; they often have legal and social issues related to their behaviours that increase their vulnerability to HIV.

This briefing document highlights the impact on the lives of PWID and their family members of the CAHR programme as well as the continued support needed by PWID to fully realise their right to quality health services that are evidence-based and free from stigma and discrimination.