Actress Zerifa Wahid speaks at the function in Guwahati on Thursday. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati,June 26: Health experts today stressed the need to discourage “injecting drug users” from sharing needles and syringes to prevent the spread of HIV.

They were speaking at a programme organised on the occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking by Assam State AIDS Control Society in association with the department of social welfare, Marwari Yuva Manch (Guwahati) and GOLD, an NGO, at District Library Auditorium here today.

According to data provided by the Society, the state at present has about 30,000 injecting drug users and about 26 of them have already contracted HIV.

“Drug trafficking is a reality in our state. Many are falling prey to drug abuse which takes a toll on their physical and mental health. But the drug users who inject drugs inside their bodies are additionally vulnerable to contacting the HIV virus. Of the 30,000 users, 26 are already HIV-positive,” said P.N. Talukdar, additional project director of the Society.

The experts pointed out that injecting drug users share needles and syringes to inject drugs and there is every chance of HIV spreading from an already infected user to another through them.

“Our main focus is to discourage sharing of needles and syringes by educating them on how HIV spreads. Various NGOs working with us also distribute syringes and needles among users so that they do not use those that have been previously used by others,” Talukdar said.

Drug users are also given a particular therapy at specific centres across the state where they are given a medicine that helps them to effectively control their urge to inject drugs.

The Guwahati zonal unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) today organised a rally to spread awareness about drug abuse and trafficking of narcotics.

The NCB in collaboration with Kripa Foundation also organised street plays at different localities of the city to sensitise masses.

In Jorhat district, the tobacco control cell organised a meeting on the ill effects of tobacco at an open-air jail and also taught de-addiction techniques to the inmates.