Malta Falls Short Of WHO Target For Safe Syringe Distribution To Drug Users

Malta is distributing fewer than 200 sterile syringes per person who injects drugs each year, falling below a key World Health Organisation benchmark designed to reduce the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne infections, as reported by Times of Malta.

According to the European Drug Report 2026, Malta currently provides between 50 and 150 sterile syringes per injecting drug user annually, placing it among the countries identified as needing significant improvements in harm reduction services.

The WHO considers the distribution of at least 200 sterile needles and syringes per person per year to be “high coverage” and an important measure in preventing the transmission of infectious diseases among people who inject drugs.

Only seven European countries currently meet or exceed that target, including Greece, Luxembourg, Norway and Austria.

Although Malta has a relatively low estimated rate of injecting drug use, around 1.4 people per 1,000 population, health experts warn that limited access to sterile equipment increases the risk of HIV and hepatitis transmission through shared needles and drug-use equipment.

The findings come as Malta continues to register some of Europe’s highest HIV diagnosis rates. In 2024, the country recorded 116 new HIV cases, equivalent to 20.6 cases per 100,000 people, marking the second consecutive year Malta recorded the highest rate in Europe.

The wider European Drug Report also highlights growing concerns over increasingly potent drugs, the emergence of new synthetic substances and rising rates of polysubstance use across the continent.

Meanwhile, cocaine continues to feature prominently in Malta’s drug-related deaths. A Caritas Malta report published last year linked 13 deaths to cocaine and five to heroin, while a number of additional cases remain under investigation.

The report concludes that stronger public health measures and expanded harm reduction services will be needed as drug markets evolve and health risks continue to grow across Europe.

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