Assessing risk of HIV and hepatitis C among people who inject drugs in East Africa: findings from a rapid assessment

Rapid assessment cross-sectional surveys and qualitative interviews were conducted among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Burundi and Uganda, as well as key informants working with drug users, to assess risk associated with HIV and hepatitis C (HCV). A total of 127 PWID were recruited in Burundi and 125 in Uganda of which the majority were male and aged between 24 and 26 years. Blood samples were collected in Burundi to test for antibodies to HIV, HCV and B Surface Antigen (HBsAg). Heroin was mainly injected in Uganda and Burundi with a small minority injecting crack/cocaine. Half of participants in Burundi, and 86% in Uganda had been HIV tested. The minority had been tested for HCV in any site (5-7%). HIV prevalence from the serological testing in Burundi indicated that 10% tested positive for antibodies to HIV, 6% to HCV and 9% to HBsAg. Qualitative data suggested that structural factors including costs of needle/syringes as well policies prohibiting pharmacies selling injecting equipment to PWID were related to reuse and sharing of needles/syringes among PWID, despite awareness HIV transmission risk. Police arrest was common in Burundi and Uganda and the use of bribes by police compounded existing high levels of poverty. Findings accentuate the need for policy shifts to enable easier access to clean injecting equipment, increased availability of HIV and HCV testing and increased access to affordable drug treatment and introduction of opioid substitution therapy. Specific attention is needed to the potential for sexual transmission of HIV among this population

Modelling the Impact of HIV and HCV Prevention and Treatment Interventions Among People Who Inject Drugs in Kenya

People who inject drugs (PWID) in Kenya have high HIV (range across settings: 14–26%) and hepatitis C virus (HCV; 11–36%) prevalence. We evaluated the impact of existing and scaled-up interventions on HIV and HCV incidence among PWID in Kenya. DESIGN: HIV and HCV transmission model among PWID, calibrated to Nairobi and Kenya's Coastal region. METHODS: For each setting, we projected the impact (percent of HIV/HCV infections averted in 2020) of existing coverages of antiretroviral therapy (ART; 63–79%), opioid agonist therapy (OAT; 8–13%) and needle and syringe programmes (NSP; 45–61%). We then projected the impact (reduction in HIV/HCV incidence over 2021–2030), of scaling-up harm reduction [Full harm reduction (‘Full HR’): 50% OAT, 75% NSP] and/or HIV (UNAIDS 90–90–90) and HCV treatment (1000 PWID over 2021–2025) and reducing sexual risk (by 25/50/75%). We estimated HCV treatment levels needed to reduce HCV incidence by 90% by 2030. RESULTS: In 2020, OAT and NSP averted 46.0–50.8% (range of medians) of HIV infections and 50.0–66.1% of HCV infections, mostly because of NSP. ART only averted 12.9–39.8% of HIV infections because of suboptimal viral suppression (28–48%). Full HR and ART could reduce HIV incidence by 51.5–64% and HCV incidence by 84.6–86.6% by 2030. Also halving sexual risk could reduce HIV incidence by 68.0–74.1%. Alongside full HR, treating 2244 PWID over 2021–2025 could reduce HCV incidence by 90% by 2030. CONCLUSION: Existing interventions are having substantial impact on HIV and HCV transmission in Kenya. However, to eliminate HIV and HCV, further scale-up is needed with reductions in sexual risk and HCV treatment