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A recent drug user’s assessment conducted in Suva has revealed worrying trends in methamphetamine injection practices that could significantly increase the risk of HIV and viral hepatitis transmission among drug users.

The study, led by researchers from Australia-based Kirby Institute, involved interviews with 56 individuals who use or inject drugs.

The assessment found that needle sharing, risky preparation methods, and limited access to sterile injection equipment are contributing to heightened public health risks.

Virgina McDonald from the Kirby institute says that the assessment has uncovered a concerning practice known as “Koda”.

“We heard of a very risky drug preparation practice called Koda, which means that people put the drug, the methamphetamine crystals, in the syringe. They draw the blood, their blood, into the syringe and they mix the methamphetamine with blood in the syringe. In other places, most people would use water. And people are using water in Suva as well, but this is also another practice that people mix in blood.”

McDonald adds that that it is not drug use or the injection itself that leads to HIV or hepatitis infections, but the sharing of used needles and syringes.

She says that when they interviewed the 56 individuals they did not find much evidence of Bluetoothing, despite this being reported in the media very frequently.

However they did find that people were reusing the same needle syringe.

Acting Head of the National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response Dr Dashika Balak, says that Fiji needs to have a workable harm reduction strategy.

She adds that since 2010, Fiji has had an almost 3000 percent increase in the number of HIV infections.

Balak says that previously Fiji was ranked second but is now leading in new infections.

As the use of methamphetamine continues to rise in Fiji, health officials must implement evidence-based harm reduction strategies such as the Needle Syringe Program to reduce the serious outbreak of HIV or hepatitis.

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