Guidance on Prevention of Viral Hepatitis B and C Among People Who Inject Drugs

Excerpt

The guidance is the first step in the provision of comprehensive guidance on viral hepatitis surveillance, prevention and treatment by the World Health Organization. The following recommendations are based on systematic reviews of scientific evidence, community values and preferences and implementation issues. Recommendation 1: It is suggested to offer people who inject drugs the rapid hepatitis B vaccination regimen. Recommendation 2: It is suggested to offer people who inject drugs incentives to increase uptake and completion of the hepatitis B vaccine schedule. Recommendation 3: It is suggested that needle and syringe programs also provide low dead-space syringes for distribution to people who inject drugs. Recommendation 4: Psychosocial interventions are not suggested for people who inject drugs to reduce the incidence of viral hepatitis. Recommendation 5: It is suggested to offer peer interventions to people who inject drugs to reduce the incidence of viral hepatitis.