Most injecting drug users, local communities and service providers in the five cities are unfamiliar with needle and syringe exchange programs. This project has created the opportunity for each of these different groups to work out how to provide this important, yet often controversial service. There has been a steady increase in the size and quality of the NSEP provided throughout the first two years of the project. Important lessons have been learnt by partners about the interaction between NSEP and the substitution service, safe disposal of sharps (needles and syringes) and mediating between civil society and marginalized injecting drug users. In some cities, the NSEP further increases the number of contact points between drug users and service providers.

For example, in Mumbai, the Sankalp Trust NSEP is now being conducted at nine locations in south and central Mumbai. On an average 80 IDUs benefit from this programme. In Imphal, there are 7 locations from which NSEP is undertaken in addition to the drop-in centres.

The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), which is part of the Ministry of Health, has initiated a strategy of 'Targetted Interventions' for communities which are at the highest risk of HIV transmission. Injecting drug users have been identified by NACO to be one of these communities. The State AIDS Control Societies are responsible for the implementation of these programmes in each different state. Each State's targeted intervention project aims to provide services to 1000 injecting drug users. The implementation of these projects will further increase the number of drug users in each city who are accessing services by at least 100%.