Linking and learning to bridge the health and rights gaps for people who use drugs

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Linking and learning to bridge the health and rights gaps for people who use drugs

16 April 2014

Ensured human rights and access to healthcare for people who use drugs (PUD) is on the horizon, and we can get there together if we continue to exchange methodologies and develop joint strategies. This was one of the main conclusions of more than 40 professionals representing people who use drugs from 8 countries who came together in Amsterdam last week. The meeting involved all partners in the Bridging the Gaps PUD project, coordinated by AIDS Foundation East-West and Mainline. Various best practices from different countries were shared and discussed.

During the meeting, local partners from Georgia, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Ukraine exchanged their experiences with each other. Every organisation faces its own obstacles, in many cases depending on local policies. At the same time there are many similarities: the provision of quality services targeted to the needs of the target group has a priority in every country – as well as a continuous lobby towards the government. Aim of this lobby is the acknowledgement of right to health care for every citizen, also those who use drugs.

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