Details

Drug use and HIV are an increasing and complex challenge across much of the Asia and the Pacific, yet harm reduction, a WHO recommended and evidence based approach to both, remains relatively underdeveloped and under-resourced in many settings. This session brings together community-led experiences from Fiji, Cambodia, and Aotearoa New Zealand to explore what harm reduction looks like in practice across different contexts, including emerging drug markets, injecting drug use, and chemsex.

The presentations will highlight the important role peers and community health workers play in reaching people who use drugs, particularly those who may not engage with formal health services. They will explore what has worked, the challenges that remain, and the different service models being used across the region. The session will also include an interactive workshop to help participants better understand harm reduction principles, reflect on their application within HIV programs, and explore the role peer and community health workers can play in prevention, testing, treatment, and support.