The Global Fund's leadership on harm reduction: 2002–2009

Injecting drug use is a major driver of the HIV epidemic globally. Whilst robust evidence points to the effectiveness of harm reduction programmes to halt and reverse injecting drug use driven epidemics, uptake of these programmes in developing and transitional countries has been slow. In part, this slow uptake stems from inadequate financial resources for harm reduction; legal, socio-cultural and medical barriers leading to stigmatisation; and weak health systems unequipped to manage marginalized groups.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, established in 2002, has become the major multilateral source of external funding for harm reduction programmes in countries experiencing concentrated HIV epidemics driven by injecting drug use. Between 2004 to end of 2008, the Global Fund invested around US$180 million in harm reduction programmes in 42 countries. This funding has helped to initiate and scale up harm reduction programmes in settings where domestic funding was lacking.

In addition to financing harm reduction programmes globally, the Global Fund has stimulated a strong dialogue between vulnerable groups and governments. Furthermore, the Global Fund has engaged in a dialogue with countries to encourage an evidence-based approach to policy-making that recognizes the immense value of harm reduction in HIV prevention and control.