New Zealand has benefited from the pioneering work of people like Roger Wright who, very early in the HIV epidemic in New Zealand, successfully campaigned for the introduction of a national needle exchange system in New Zealand.

As a result, Injecting Drug Users have had ready access to free or inexpensive clean needles and drug injecting equipment. This means the incidence of shared needle use has been greatly reduced, resulting in the incidence of HIV through shared needle use being very low. This is also due in part to the decriminalisation of the possession of needles and syringes, and associated education and health promotion programmes.

To date, 66 cases of HIV transmission have been reported via injecting drug use.  Thirty four of these were also men who have sex with men.  Six cases of transmission by IDU were reported in 2008, including two who were also men who have sex men. 

For more information about HIV and injecting drug users, please follow the link below.

Further reading:

• Needle Exchange Programme