Mexican Government, NGOs Working to Expand Access to Clean Syringes to Prevent HIV Among IDUs

Inter Press Service examines how Mexico's government and non-governmental organizations are working to stem the spread of HIV among people who use injection drugs. "According to a project financed by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria since 2011, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Mexico is 5.77 percent among intravenous drug users ... compared to 0.24 to 0.3 percent in the general population aged 15 to 49," IPS writes, noting HIV prevalence among drug users is highest in "northern Mexico, one of the areas in the country hit hardest by drug trafficking." The news service adds "[t]here are 28 syringe exchange programs in this country of 112 million people, insufficient to serve the entire population of intravenous drug users." IPS discusses funding shortfalls for syringe exchange programs, legal hurdles to obtaining clean injection equipment, and how the government aims to continue receiving Global Fund money through 2013 (Godoy, 10/11).