People Who Inject Drugs: Testing and Treatment of HIV and HCV

Globally, an estimated 15% of people who inject drugs are living with HIV, and 53% are living with hepatitis C virus (HCV). People who inject drugs are disproportionately affected by these infections and are at a high risk of acquiring and transmitting them. In December 2020, UNAIDS introduced bold new goals: for 95% of all people with HIV to be aware of their status, 95% of those diagnosed with HIV to be on continuous antiretroviral treatment, and 95% of those treated to have controlled viral loads by 2025. Additionally, the World Health Organization aims to eradicate HCV by 2030. To achieve these goals, it is necessary to diagnose 90% of people with HCV and treat 80% of them. It is thus necessary to protect groups at a high risk, such as people who inject drugs. To monitor this progress, a systematic review in this field is warranted.

To this end, a systematic review, published in The Lancet Global Health, examined the global, regional, and country-level coverage of testing and treatment for HIV and HCV infection among people who inject drugs. The review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of testing and treatment for these infections, identify gaps in coverage, and highlight areas for improvement. The review included data from 106 countries and territories, and covers the period from 2008–2022.

Access the full systematic review here.

Access an accompanying comment here.