HIV Organisations Identify Key Priorities For Victoria’s Next Government

HIV organisations in Victoria have come together to identify key priorities for the next Parliament ahead of state elections in November 2022. 

Thorne Harbour Health, Living Positive Victoria, and Positive Women Victoria on Thursday released a document – HIV & AIDS Priorities – that has 38 recommended actions to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV and improve the state’s response to HIV. 

“The 60th Parliament of Victoria could oversee the virtual elimination of new HIV transmissions in this state, and be the first jurisdiction in the world to do so,” Thorne Harbour Health CEO Simon Ruth said in statement. “However, a concerted effort is needed for this final stretch, which includes the State Government and Victoria’s HIV community organisations continuing to work together in close partnership.”

Undetectable Equals Un-transmittable

The first case of HIV/AIDS was reported in Australia more than 40 years ago. Since then there has been significant progress in HIV treatments, prevention and diagnosis.

According to THH, in addition to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), advance HIV treatments are today able to allow PLHIV to lead a long and healthy life with sustained undetectable viral load (UVL) that eliminates the risk of HIV transmission.

“We are in an age of important advances in HIV treatment and biomedical prevention in the onward of transmission of HIV. The message of ‘undetectable equals untransmittable’ or ‘U=U’ needs to be broadcast to and embraced by the wider community,” said Living Positive Victoria CEO Richard Keane.

“HIV stigma and discrimination continues to create barriers for people living with HIV needing to access health services – leading to late diagnoses, poorer long term health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and the risk of onward transmission.”

Equitable Health Outcomes For Everyone

While in Australia, the community response has managed to achieve a decrease in new cases, these gains have not been uniform among all vulnerable groups. 

“It’s wonderful that many advances mean we can aspire to ending HIV in Australia, but this won’t be achieved unless there are equitable health outcomes for all people living with or at risk of HIV,” said Positive Women Victoria Executive Officer Dr Kirsty Machon.

“Women continue to bear a huge burden of HIV-related stigma and assumptions about HIV risk, which may affect access to testing, treatment and care, and psychosocial wellbeing.”

Strengthening Clinical Sexual Health System

The document has identified priorities for the next government, including, covering the PBS co-payment on HIV treatment across the state, improving affordability and accessibility of PrEP, and reforming areas of law that continue to perpetuate stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV. 

“Strengthening Victoria’s statewide clinical sexual health system would not only support our prorgression toward the virtual elimination of new HIV transmissions, but it would put us in a better position to respond to new and emerging outbreaks like Monkeypox,” added Simon Ruth.

“Victorians have benefitted from bipartisan support for effective actions on HIV, and the shared understanding that key to an effective response is government working in meaningful partnership with community-controlled health services and people living with HIV (PLHIV),” said Richard Keane.