AFAO Media Release | 23 April 2010

AFAO welcomes governments' endorsement of new national strategies for BBVs and STIs

The Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) has welcomed the endorsement by every State, Territory and the Federal Government of five new strategies for blood borne viruses (BBVs) and sexually transmissible infections (STIs).

AFAO President Dr Graham Brown said today that the endorsement meant restored and reinvigorated national leadership in combating HIV and other blood-borne viruses, which will be more responsive to current priorities and to emerging threats such as those faced by Australians travelling and working overseas and from increasing injecting drug use in some indigenous communities.

“Today’s announcement will allow a refocusing of strategies and workplans to address ongoing and emerging priorities more effectively.”

“We particularly welcome the unanimous endorsement of revitalized strategies by all governments – including strengthened accountability through joint commitment to agreed targets; we note this was a major failing of the previous Strategies.”

“Minister Roxon’s appointment of a strong and representative Ministerial Advisory Council, which has overseen the development of these Strategies, has re-energised national leadership in HIV and other blood-borne viruses which is another ‘sea-change’ from where have been.”

“High priorities for the Ministerial Advisory Council will include devising responses to emerging threats such as those faced by Australians travelling overseas and those indigenous communities where increased injecting drug use is an issue.”
Dr Brown said the strategies were developed in a spirit of cooperation with significant contributions from community stakeholders, research organisations, medical professionals and state and territory health departments.”
The five strategies are:

• The Sixth National HIV Strategy;
• The First National Hepatitis B Strategy;
• The Second National Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy;
• The Third National Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Strategy; and
• The Third National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy.

View Strategies