PHA-Exch> Obama on AIDS- debates on needle Exchange programs

[Claudio Schuftan]

   From:    g_upham at club-internet.fr

    This week's edition of SIGN / WHO quotes from the Washington Independent
on US contradictions in policies regarding needle exchange program for IVDU.
(see below)
On that, just coming back from the French national meeting on nosocomial
infection, and meeting former WHO experts on the subject of hospital
acquired infections, we must add a few comments:
1) It is true that IVDU contract HIV from dirty needles, and that clean
needles are essential to save lives,
2) Poor people also contract HIV from sharing syringes throughout Africa and
silence on the issue is scandalous.
At the ICASA conference in Abuja two years ago, Professor Weinberg agreed
and said in substance:We not only need the slogan: clean needles for IVDU,
but we also need to say a clean syringe for every African in health care.
3) IVDU contract HIV even when using clean needles when large containers of
drugs are contaminated with HIV by unscrupulous dealers using old dirty
syringes to mix drugs- This is an important and well identified means of
infection for drug users (according to UN report on drug use in Asia)
4) Poor people also contract HIV from multidose vials - or catheters when
improper procedures are used
(ie changing needle but not the syringe)- Reminder in 1997 it was found that
over half of North American use of anesthesia was improper and potentially
contaminating patients because of multidose vials. In 2006-2007 over 250
babies were contaminated with HIV that way in Kazakstan and Kirghistan
5) Last but not least, for people who already have contracted HIV -PLWHAs-,
clean injection in health care, in dentistry,etc, it a life and death
question. PLWHAs should mobilize like hell against dirty injections in LMICs
Latest figures show that in SS Africa 20 to 70% of patients contract a
hospital acquired infection!!
We need to tell OBAMA: SAY YES TO NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM *AND* LAUNCH A
GLOBAL CLEAN INJECTION CAMPAIGN TO STOP HIV SPREAD IN AFRICA!
By Mike Lillis, The Washington Independent - Washington,DC,USA (29.01.09)

Bush-era envoys to the United Nations are trying to block global efforts
to promote HIV/AIDS-prevention programs such as needle exchanges,
according to health and human rights advocates who supplied documents of
the negotiations. The envoys' opposition runs directly counter to the
stated position of President Obama, who supports lifting a ban on clean-
syringe programs that's existed in the United States for 20 years.
The saga unfolds as the members of the United Nations are busy drafting a
non-binding declaration of global drug-policy goals for the next decade.
Although a number of countries — many in the European Union — are pushing
hard to include language promoting "harm reduction measures," including
syringe-exchange programs shown to prevent needle-born illness, the U.S.
representatives have already lobbied that provision out, according to
health and human rights groups familiar with the negotiations.
cut here
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