SubstanceabuseandHIV/AIDSinAfricaSeventypercentoftheworld'sHIV/AIDSpopulationisfoundinAfrica.Withover25millionAfricansaffected,HIV/AIDShasbecomethenumberonekilleronthecontinent.Atthesametime,theabuseofillicitdrugs,includingcannabis,cocaine,heroinandpsychotropicsubstances,isrising.Thenumberofwomenandadolescentdrugabusersisincreasingand,accordingtostudiesconductedinKenya,NigeriaandSouthAfrica,intravenousdruguse(IDU)appearstobehigherthancommonlybelieved.ThedirectlinkbetweenIDUandHIV/AIDShasbeenestablishedelsewhere,butupuntilrecently,thesituationinAfricawasnotasclear.Informationnowbeingcollectedispaintinganewpicture-4percentofregisteredHIV/AIDScasesinNorthAfricaarereportedlycausedbyIDU,andindividualcountriesreportevenhigherrates.WhilesexualHIVtransmissionisclearlypredominantinAfrica,transmissionamongIDUsalsoplaysarole.InMauritius,whereHIV/AIDSprevalenceratesarelowerthaninotherEastandSouthernAfricancountries,IDUwasfoundin21percentofasamplegroupofHIV-infectedpeople.AnongoingWorldHealthOrganizationstudyinNairobiCityalsorevealedanunexpectedlyhighnumberofheroinabusersinjectingthedrugintravenously.InNigeria,astudycarriedoutin2000inLagosrevealedthattheHIVprevalencerateamongheroinandcocainestreetuserswasalmosttwiceashighasamongnon-drugusers(9.8percentfortheformerversus5.4percentforthelatter).用心爱心专心Toaddressthissituation,UNDCPandUNAIDSrecentlyadoptedadraftActionPlanagainstdrugabuseandHIV/AIDSinAfrica.Theplanfocusesonincorporatingpreventionandawareness-raisingmeasuresintoexistingprojects.FieldactivitieswillincludelinkingdrugcontrolmasterplanstonationalHIV/AIDSprogrammes,generatinggendersensitivedataandfocusingpreventioneffortsonAfricanyouth.ThePlanalsoforeseesthemobilizationofAfricangovernments,donorsandUnitedNationssystempartners,tointegratedrugabusepreventionelementsintoHIV/AIDSandpovertyreductionprogrammes.用心爱心专心
