Yap suggest that China’s labour camps for drug users present an opportunity to implement universal ‘test and treat’ programmes. They contend that such a step would be consistent with ‘humanitarian’ principles endorsed by The Global Fund and the World Bank.
Their recommendation is surprising and troubling. The paper cited to support this position (which we coauthored) is not in fact a call to scale-up HIV treatment in drug detention centres. Rather, it summarises the emerging policy consensus among UN agencies and bilateral and international aid agencies that drug detention centres undermine the fight against HIV and should be closed.
