Injection drug use is the major mode of HIV transmission in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), accounting for 50 percent to 90 percent of cases in some MENA countries, UNAIDS reports. These results were discussed at Harm Reduction 2011, the first international drugs-related conference to be held for the MENA region. The conference, held from April 3 to 7 in Beirut, hosted a group of 1,000 scientists, researchers, drug users, doctors and politicians from 80 countries. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has granted $8.3 million to scale up harm reduction services in 12 MENA countries during the next three years.

To read the UNAIDS article, click here.