Community Leadership in Action: SANPUD at the INHSU 2025 Conference

1/22/2026

SANPUD played a central and highly visible role throughout the INHSU 2025 Conference, held from 14–17 October 2025 at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, South Africa.

SANPUD harm reduction services in the week.

Across the week, SANPUD led and supported key activities including overdose‑prevention coordination with international experts, supplying naloxone, establishing a community responder system, and managing real‑time safety communication.

SANPUD played a central role in strengthening harm reduction safety at INHSU2025 by coordinating a community led overdose prevention system that brought experienced responders together and created a shared protocol for rapid support. The team ensured naloxone kits were available and placed directly in the hands of community members. They set up real time communication channels, provided an emergency response phone, and supported peers to respond locally when incidents occurred. This approach helped maintain consistent safety standards across a diverse group of participants and demonstrated how practical coordination can protect people in moments of uncertainty.

Below is a full report of the activities in the week.

SANPUD also co‑convened major pre‑conference events, including Policy Day, WWUD and stimulant‑use trainings, and global CAB sessions. During the main conference, SANPUD’s leadership was prominent across Community Day, the African Harm Reduction Showcase, stimulant harm‑reduction dialogues, prison‑health panels, and the EMCR networking event.

INHSU Policy day report

The INHSU Policy Day 2025 brought together policymakers, community leaders and global partners in Cape Town to advance access to harm reduction services across Africa. Delivered in partnership with SANPUD, the meeting centred community leadership as essential to effective, sustainable responses for people who use drugs. Discussions focused on overcoming political, legal and operational barriers, strengthening multisectoral collaboration, and embedding harm reduction within public health systems. Drawing on country experiences and lived expertise, the Policy Day produced practical, evidence‑based recommendations to support policy reform, protect human rights, and scale community‑led services that save lives and strengthen health systems across the region.

Read or download the full report on Policy Day below.

INHSU 2025 Conference

SANPUD members documented sessions, strengthened cross‑country solidarity, and elevated lived‑experience leadership, with standout contributions such as Linda Malaka’s widely praised nursing presentation. Overall, SANPUD helped anchor the conference in community‑led practice, safety, and African harm‑reduction leadership.
For a summary of the Conference, read or download the Report Summaries below.

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