The United Nations and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation cite the safe injection sites in Vancouver as a positive step to combating AIDS.
As reported by the Vancouver Sun, the United Nations, in conjunction with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has cited the safe injection site, pioneered in Vancouver, as an important step to fighting the spread of HIV. The safe injection site not only provides clean needles to drug users, but also methadone treatment and medical care by on-site nurses. Although, not enough data has been collected to show that the site has contributed to the decrease in the spread of HIV, the report nonetheless recommends that such resources be provided in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. The safe injection site in Vancouver has been given an additional 16 months by the federal government to determine whether it has played a role in decreasing drug addiction and the spread of disease.
