Nigeria
Melody Okereke is a clinical pharmacist and implementation science researcher working on harm reduction, HIV/AIDS programming, and health systems innovation with a focus on community-led and implementation-driven models.
A person who fears being labelled may choose not to test. Someone who worries about disclosure may delay treatment. A community that feels judged may avoid healthcare programmes altogether. These challenges are not simply individual problems. They reflect the need for health systems to become more responsive and inclusive.
19 August 2026
This article argues that harm reduction cannot reach its full potential while health systems remain intertwined with punitive drug control frameworks. It explores how criminalisation creates invisible barriers to care, discourages service utilisation, fragments continuity of care, and embeds stigma into health system operations. Ultimately, it contends that the future of harm reduction depends not only on expanding services, but on creating healthcare environments that can operate independently of enforcement logic and prioritise health outcomes over punishment.
1 June 2026
The future of harm reduction will depend on how well grassroots innovation is recognised, funded, and integrated into formal health systems.
29 May 2026
