This tool contains practical advice on implementing HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) programs with people who inject drugs. It is based on recommendations in the WHO, UNODC, UNAIDS technical guide for countries to set targets for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care for injecting drug users – 2012 revision and the Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations – 2016 update.

Topics covered include community empowerment, including building the capacity of organizations and networks of people who inject drugs; legal reform, human rights and addressing stigma and discrimination; health and support services for the comprehensive package of harm reduction interventions; service delivery approaches, including engaging people who inject drugs as program staff and peer outreach workers; and program management. The tool contains examples of good practices from around the world that can be used to support efforts to plan programs and services with people who inject drugs.

The tool is designed for use by public-health officials, managers of HIV and harm reduction programs, NGOs – including community and civil-society organizations – and health workers. It may also be of interest to international funding agencies, health policy-makers and advocates.

This implementation tool is known informally as the IDUIT and is the third in a series of tools on implementing HIV programs with key populations. Other publications include the sex worker implementation tool (SWIT), published by the World Health Organization (2013), the implementation tool for men who have sex with men (MSMIT), published by the United Nations Population Fund (2015), and the implementation tool for transgender people (TRANSIT), published by the United Nations Development Programme (2016). 

Please click here for a copy of the tool.