Health Equity Matters’ SKPA-2 team recently hosted an engaging webinar that focused attention on chemsex across the Indo-Pacific, including challenges it poses for the HIV response and what can be done to address these challenges.
Speakers from Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Fiji all highlighted how amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS)-driven chemsex is reshaping HIV epidemics among men who have sex with men (MSM) and other communities. The webinar identified current gaps, capacity needs and planned interventions in the region, as well as facilitated peer-to-peer learning while highlighting opportunities for strengthened community-led chemsex responses.
You can watch the webinar, ‘Powering Up Asia’s Chemsex Response: Tools, Truths and Regional Realities’ below or here.
Sri Lanka has experienced a 48% increase in new HIV infections since 2010, concentrated among young men. Dual criminalisation of both drug use and same-sex relations poses a barrier to an effective, evidence-based response. SKPA-2’s development of a new chemsex and harm reduction training package will be a powerful tool in the response. It features a trainer’s guide, facilitation guide, slides and access to a free e-learning course in English, Sinhala and Tamil.
In Malaysia, there has been a shift from heroin to methamphetamine, coinciding with a rise in HIV among MSM. To respond, there has been the creation of the MyInclusion model, training peer navigators and distribution of harm reduction packs. In addition, there have been continuous efforts by the Malaysian AIDS Council and the Malaysian AIDS Foundation to integrate harm reduction programming with the Malaysian Ministry of Health.
Fiji is currently witnessing a rapidly growing HIV epidemic. Increasing methamphetamine use, chemsex and ‘bluetoothing’ among LGBTIQA+ communities and sex workers is fuelling this trend. There is an urgent need for PrEP, harm reduction, mental health support and peer-led outreach. Similar to Sri Lanka, Fiji’s experience highlighted the critical need for data and engagement on chemsex and harm reduction.
Lessons that participants took away form the webinar included:
- Harm reduction is essential and evidence-based.
- Peer-led, community-designed responses are more effective.
- Data from community research can unlock government buy-in.
- Non-judgmental, rights-based approaches are vital in criminalised environments.
This webinar is expected to drive closer collaboration between people working in the HIV response across the Indo-Pacific. It also played a role in galvanising the response and promoting shared learning.
Access slides from the webinar
You can access slides from each of the speakers here: