Global State of Harm Reduction 2018

The number of countries providing harm reduction interventions to prevent drug-related death, HIV and hepatitis C has stalled since 2016, according to a new report today from Harm Reduction International (HRI). Of the estimated 15.6 million people who inject drugs worldwide, over half live with hepatitis C, and nearly 1 in 5 live with HIV.

The report, The Global State of Harm Reduction 2018, is the most comprehensive independent analysis to date on harm reduction policy and practice around the world. It reveals that just 86 countries provide needle and syringe programmes (NSP), despite injecting drug use being present in 179 countries. This marks a fall from 90 countries in 2016, with NSPs cut in Bulgaria, Laos and the Philippines.