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,transmissi