National HIV Strategy
AFAO Media Release | 27 May 2010
Revitalised response will come from new national HIV strategy
The Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) has welcomed the launch in Sydney today of the new National HIV Strategy, and the Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Strategy, by Parliamentary Secretary for Health the Hon. Mark Butler MHR.
AFAO Executive Director Don Baxter said today that the Strategies represent re-energised and reinvigorated national leadership in combating HIV that is responsive to emerging issues, such as Australians acquiring HIV while holidaying overseas, and increasing prevalence among injecting drug users in some Aboriginal communities.
“These new strategies will allow a focusing of energies to address emerging priorities but retaining our successful programs.”
“While more than 75% of new HIV infections are still among gay men, there is an increasing rate of new infections among Australians holidaying and working overseas and the potential for serious HIV and Hepatitis C epidemics in some Aboriginal communities.
“The Strategies launched today will help restore strong national leadership and importantly, all state and territory governments have formally signed on to the strategies, to the performance indicators incorporated in them and to their associated implementation plans currently in joint development.
“These are major advances in national coordination and accountability and the Federal Government has achieved something here that has not been achieved in this area since the very first strategies twenty years ago.”
“The HIV Strategy clearly identifies priority action areas. These include exploring options for rapid HIV testing, more innovative prevention programs targeting gay men, addressing increasing injecting in Aboriginal communities and confronting the challenges now emerging from the premature ageing caused by long-term infection with HIV.”
“In the last few years Australia’s annual HIV infection rate has stabilised, after doubling in the period 1995-2005. These new HIV Strategies, along with the re-energised Ministerial Advisory Council on Blood-Borne Viruses and STIs appointed by Minister Roxon last year, now provide the framework for driving the annual HIV infection rate downwards.”
Media coverage of strategy launch
Sydney Morning Herald: Chlamydia increase may hint at HIV rise
ABC - AM: New national HIV strategy launched
ABC - Breakfast: National strategy on HIV
ABC - PM: New national strategy to tackle spike in HIV rates
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