Are intravenous drugs users the most vulnerable HIV risk group?

HIV prevalence among Injection Drug Users (IDUs) is 22 percent with new infections occurring at a high rate despite harm reduction services, the findings of a HIV prevention programme said Wednesday.

By: Editorial Team | | Published: June 26, 2014 2:55 pm

HIV prevalence among Injection Drug Users (IDUs) is 22 percent with new infections occurring at a high rate despite harm reduction services, the findings of a HIV prevention programme said Wednesday. The AVHI programme further stated that majority of the IDUs were not aware that they were HIV positive until they were tested as part of the programme. Also Read - Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

Also Read - 7 reasons why the #BeefBan is good

Avina Sarna, country director, Population Council said that while India has seen a decrease in HIV prevalence, the IDU population is ‘hidden and extremely vulnerable’ and has very high prevalence of new infections. ‘This is a population we cannot ignore. They have multiple infections, HIV, Hepatitis B and C which is spread from them to their partners onward to children. So it needs a constant effort, and we need to re look at where its going, and see how we can motivate these people to take up the services,’ Sarna told . AVHI was implemented by the Population Council in collaboration with the Sahara Center for Residential Care and Rehabilitation for IDUs in the national capital, and evaluated the effectiveness of a HIV prevention programme in averting the infection among them. The programme’s findings also suggest capacity building of IDUs to reduce unsafe injection practices. The launch of the findings comes a day prior to the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (June 26). (Read: 12 diseases that affect people with HIV/AIDS) Also Read - Did you know? This novel pill can replace injections to deliver insulin

‘It is one-of-a-kind study because this is the only cohort study in south Asia to have such a large number of IDUs that we followed. In India, it is one of the first studies that has been done for incidence and one of the first projects to provide hepatitis vaccination to IDUs and look at the effectiveness of it,’ Sarna stated. The AVHI programme provided over 7,300 HIV tests and needle syringe distribution to over 2,500 IDUs in addition to other harm reduction services. The areas where the programme was implemented are Bawana, Seelampur, Daryaganj, Gokulpuri and Jahangirpuri. ‘The areas were chosen on the basis of the prevalence of the IDU population there. These areas are the ones where we have a higher number of IDUs, and that’s how these areas were selected,’ Sarna said explaining the reason behind shortlisting the areas. Sarna said that it is essential to focus on the mental health of IDUs and also to empower and strengthen them. (Read: Coming soon an effective HIV vaccine?)

The project also found that wives and regular female partners of male IDUs lacked understanding of their own risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections associated with their partner’s drug injection habit. Speaking on the topic, Vartika Sharma, programme officer, Population Council said that there is an urgent need for HIV prevention programmes to reach out to the female partners of male IDUs to provide correct and comprehensive information on prevention and other infections. (Read: 11 things about HIV?AIDS you didn’t know)

Which factors that increase your risk for HIV?

HIV/ AIDS has killed more than 25 million people in the past 3 decades. But the current statistics are much more frightening. It has been estimated that there are more than 34 million people all around the world living with HIV infection. One of the main reasons why HIV/AIDS is so widespread is the lack the knowledge about risk factors and transmission of HIV. This lack of knowledge is not restricted to people living in remote areas. The highly educated population also seem equally illiterate when it comes to HIV. Maybe in the future we could have a cure for HIV but until then knowing the risk factors is the best way to stay away from HIV.

1. Having unprotected sex: HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the causative agent of AIDS, a disease that completely destroys the immune system of the body, making the infected person susceptible to several other diseases. HIV circulates throughout the body via the blood stream. It is also present in sexual fluids (semen and vaginal secretions). Therefore, the primary risk factor for acquiring the infection is having unprotected sex. This includes vaginal, oral as well as anal intercourse. The risk is highest in anal intercourse followed by vaginal and lastly oral intercourse.

2. Multiple sex partners: Having unprotected sex puts you at a risk of HIV but with multiple sex partners the risk almost doubles. Multiple sex partners increase your chances of having intercourse with an infected individual.

3. Other sexually transmitted infections: Not many people know that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like syphilis, herpes and gonorrhea increase the risk of contracting HIV. The risk of HIV in individuals earlier infected with an STD is 2-5 times more compared to a person without an STD. Studies suggest that sexually transmitted diseases cause certain changes in the genital tissues, increasing the susceptibility of HIV transmission.

4. Transfusion of contaminated blood and blood products: Whether you were transfused blood during a surgery or are a hemophiliac who needs frequent blood transfusion, your chances of contracting HIV are high if the transfused blood is not tested for HIV. As a standard in medical practice, blood is always tested before a transfusion but recently several cases of HIV due to transfusion of infected blood have been noticed. (Read: 9 factors that increase your risk for HIV)

With inputs from IANS

You may also like to read:

For more articles on HIV/AIDS , visit our HIV/AIDS section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.

Published : June 26, 2014 2:55 pm

Read Disclaimer