Chris Zebley, Nurse Practitioner at the Lancaster Center, attended the Health Professional Summit on US Global AIDS Policies for Injection Drug Users, sponsored by Physicians For Human Rights on 3/5 and 3/6, and sent this report:
We discussed current US global polices related to the HIV pandemic throughout the rest of the world including southeastern Europe, China, Russia and India due to intravenous drug users (IVDU). I was able to speak with Congressmen from Delaware, Maryland and Virginia advocating that current U.S. polices along with funding PEPFA-(President's Emergency Plans for Aids Relief) must include, based on evidence based practice, not only condoms and HIV medicines but sterile syringe exchanges, opioid substitution, outreach, and mental health.
IVDU's are very stigmatized in other countries and in some countries are not given HIV medicines. For every person given HIV meds there are 3 new infections. One third of all HIV cases outside Sub-Sahara Africa are caused by IVDU. 80% of all HIV cases in Russia are due to IVDU.
This was a wonderful opportunity to have several voices speak for the voiceless while advancing human health, dignity and justice.
Brandywine Counseling & Community Services saves lives. We help people recover from addiction and mental illness, and reduce their HIV risk. Each life saved touches other lives, families, and communities in the Delaware region.
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