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SANPUD is a registered non-profit organisation made up of member peer-led organisations that share a common purpose - to defend the rights of people who use drugs. We further seek to dismantle myths, hypocrisy and bad science that inform society's understanding of drugs, their use, and the people who use them. Biobehavioural Survey ResultsThis latest research highlights how vulnerable people who inject drugs are and is a clear indication that we need to change policies, the law and the way we respond to injecting drug use. Conducted in South Africa at four sites in 2023 between May and September, TB HIV Care’s BioBehavioural Survey (BBS) showed high prevalence rates of HIV and Hepatitis C in people who inject drugs (PWID). Click here for more. |
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Human Rights
SANPUD promotes rights based drug policies that do not create or increase harm for people who use drugs. Prohibition and the war on drugs have justified the oppression, mass incarceration, criminalisation and economic exclusion of poor, black and brown people. We promote the restitution of these harms. We are working towards a world where people can make well-informed decisions about the use of regulated and unregulated drugs, without fear of marginalisation, stigma, exclusion or criminalisation, incarceration and denial of services. |
Harm Reduction
Harm reduction is a pragmatic, non-judgmental set of strategies to reduce individual and community harm caused by drug use. The focus is on taking incremental steps to reduce harm rather than on eliminating drug use. Abstinence may or may not be the end goal. One the many approaches described as harm reduction aims to prevent the spread of infections (including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and other blood-borne infections); reduce the risk of overdose and other drug-related fatalities; and decrease the negative effects drug use may have on individuals and communities. |
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Educational Comics AvailableA series of comics aimed at improving adherence and a achieving viral suppression among people who are HIV positive and use drugs are available in printing format to appropriate stakeholders, such as networks, service providers, Community organisations or similar. The comics can be seen here, and if you want to distribute them, contact [email protected].
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People who inject drugs are at a very high risk of contracting HIV, and can pass it on to their sexual partners and particularly people they share needles with. People who have HIV start treatment, and stay on it and achieve an undetectable viral load, can't pass it on through sexual contact. For people who inject drugs, there is evidence to believe that their risk is reduced. See https://www.uequalsu.co.za/what-is-u-u and http://sanac.org.za/treatment-literacy for more information.
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