We can protect drug users from becoming infected with HIV: Context and progress of the global response to HIV among people who inject drugs

This report examines the state of the current responsethrougha comparison of data from multiple global data collection mechanisms. The data from the following processes are reviewed:

1. Reporting as part of the process for the monitoring the declaration of commitment on HIV/AIDS, United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on HIV/AIDS (see: UNAIDS Global Report, 2010; Guidelines on construction of core indicators, 2010 reporting; and online)
2. Reporting monitoring progress towards achieving universal access, undertaken by the World Health Organization (WHO) (see: WHO, 2010 progress report ; and online)
3. Global systematic reviews conducted by the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use of the epidemiology of injecting drug use and HIV and coverage of HIV prevention, treatment and care services for IDUs (see also: online)

This is the first time these sources of data have been drawn together in an effort to better understand the progress made in the global response to HIV and injecting drug use, and represents essential cross‐agency collaboration. Comparing these datasets both establishes better understanding of the progress to date and affords an opportunity to examine the strengths and weaknesses of each of these data collection processes providing insights critical for the development of monitoring and evaluation systems.