The Special Rapporteur, noting concerns that Canada are implementing allegedly retrogressive measures proposed and implemented by the government, affecting people who use or are dependent on drugs or other controlled substances, and that harm reduction has ceased to form a part of Canada's national strategy. Canada's reply was that while harm reduction was not explicitly mentioned as a part of national policy, it is implicitly a part of it.
The Special Rapporteur (along with Special Rapporteur on torture) on 7th January 2009 sent a letter to the Government of the People’s Republic of China concerning the forced re-education and detoxification centres.
In a appeal with the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention an urgent appeal to the Islamic Republic of Iran concerning information received regarding brothers Arash and Kamiar Alaei, doctors specializing in the prevention and management of HIV and AIDS and harm-reduction programmes for HIV drug-users in Iran. … At the time of this communication it had not been made clear by the authorities why the brothers were detained or whether or not they would face charges.
The Special Rapporteur notes that in Sri Lanka access to essential medicines has been disrupted due to the conflict.
In Zimbabwe, it is noted that the cholera epidemic was spreading throughout the country resulting in a daily increase in the death toll, and it was further reported that it was reported that essential medicines were unavailable to treat the acute epidemics.
Citation: Anand Grover, 'Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health: Summary of communications sent and replies received from Government and other actors' (2009) A/HRC/11/12/Add.1