SYRINGES A LIFESAVER: STUDY

SYRINGE exchange services have saved more than the lives of Hume drug
users, a national economic study reveals.

A Department of Health study has revealed Hume's health-care system has
saved an estimated $3 million since 2000 because of a reduction in
forecast HIV and hepatitis C infections.

Association for Prevention and Harm Reduction Programs Australia chief
executive John Ryan said the savings were due to the availability of clean
syringes for intravenous drug users.

"For every dollar invested in providing sterile syringes, the public saves
at least $4 in health care costs in the short-term and much more over the
long run," Mr Ryan said.

Within the past nine years, 33,201,105 syringes were handed out across
Melbourne's northern and western suburbs, saving more than $91 million in
health-care costs.

He said Victorian drug users had one of the lowest HIV infection rates in
the world but hepatitis C infection was an issue.

Youth Projects chairwoman Melanie Raymond said the statistics demonstrated
that needle exchange programs were working.

In a bid to improve the health and safety of drug users, Youth Projects
runs a mobile needle-exchange program in Melbourne's northwest.

Ms Raymond said drug safety workers hand out clean needles and
paraphernalia to drug users from a car and provide information about how
to inject drugs safely.