Sudden withdrawals of US funding and a reduction in Global Fund allocations have sharply disrupted harm‑reduction and key‑population HIV prevention services across South Africa. The rapid assessment found dozens of USAID‑funded projects terminated, thousands of frontline posts affected, and interruptions to opioid substitution therapy (OST), needle‑and‑syringe programmes (NSP), HIV testing, ART and PrEP in several high‑burden districts. These service losses, documented in the report, coincide with increased overdose risk and greater barriers to care for people who inject drugs, sex workers and men who have sex with men.  

​The SANPUD Annual Report 2024 is more than a snapshot of one year — it is a testament to the long road travelled by the South African Network of People Who Use Drugs and its partners.

​The SANPUD Strategic Plan 2026–2030: Freedom, Dignity & Voice sets out a bold roadmap for advancing the rights of people who use drugs in South Africa. 

Join the South African Network of People Who Use Drugs (SANPUD) and our community for the Annual General Meeting on 16 October 2025 at 4 pm at Crystal Towers, Century City, with a Zoom option for remote attendees.

South Africa cannot fix what it cannot see. On International Overdose Awareness Day, peers, clinicians, researchers, and community leaders faced a hard truth: non-fatal overdoses are mostly invisible in formal systems, while fatal overdoses are undercounted. The poll we ran during the webinar gives us a clear compass. Community voices set the priorities, and the speakers showed how to act on them.

An unexpected pause in US foreign aid has rippled through harm reduction efforts from South Asia to southern Africa, shifting our shared landscape in profound ways. Harm Reduction International’s latest interactive overview brings together both published and behind-the-scenes data from the 2024 Cost of Complacency and Global State of Harm Reduction reports. It reveals how the Global Fund picks up a large share of support and how PEPFAR’s USD 7.9 million in 2022 drove HIV prevention and opioid agonist therapy for 27 000 people across seven key countries.

Call for Board Members
The South African Network of People Who Use Drugs (SANPUD) seeks dedicated, passionate individuals to join our board of directors. We invite applications from candidates who share our commitment to advocating for the rights, health, and dignity of people who use drugs (PWUD) in South Africa. Ideal candidates should possess relevant expertise and experience in advocacy, harm reduction, healthcare, legal reform, human rights, research, or community mobilisation. Preference will be given to applicants who are members of the PWUD community, ensuring meaningful representation and inclusion in our governance.

​Roles and Responsibilities
Board members will:

• Provide strategic leadership and guidance to SANPUD.
• Ensure effective oversight of SANPUD’s operations, policies, and governance.
• Actively contribute to fundraising and resource mobilisation.
• Advocate publicly for SANPUD’s mission and objectives.
• Attend regular board meetings and participate in decision-making processes.

​How to Apply
​Interested candidates should use this link https://forms.gle/QYxkC9vG6kWjKV8a9 to submit a CV and a brief cover letter highlighting their relevant experience, expertise, and motivation to join SANPUD’s board. The link will be closed on 01 September 2025. Should you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]
SANPUD values diversity and strongly encourages members of the PWUD community to apply.

When recent headlines branded people who use drugs as uncaring irresponsible mothers, such judgmental coverage reignited fear, further driving women who use drugs underground and away from safe services, paving the way for unregistered rehabilitation centres to operate unchecked.