ISLAMABAD, Dec 5: The UN Regional Task Force on Injecting Drug Use (IDU) and HIV/Aids for Asia and the Pacific is meeting in Islamabad today (Wednesday) to discuss universal access to prevention, treatment and care services for injecting drug users.

Universal access means that HIV treatment, prevention and care services are available and accessible to the people who need them, when and where they need them.

The use of contaminated needles and syringes by injecting drug users is one of the main drivers of HIV epidemic in countries in this region. The task force sees an opportunity through working with injecting drug users to prevent or reverse spread of HIV.

The task force is a group of 30 experts and representatives from civil society, the donor community, United Nations organisations and government representatives from Asia and Pacific region.

It is a forum for dialogue and information sharing between stakeholders, which also provides strategic guidance to assist countries in reaching 80 per cent of injecting-drug users with evidence-based interventions. It also seeks to provide regional leadership advocating for countries to address gaps in the national response to injecting-drug use and HIV.

UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Jan Vandemoortele, UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific Director Prasada Rao, Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Ghous Bux Khan Maher, and Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan will speak at the seminar.—Online