HIV cash stretched

HIV researchers reeling from funding cuts by the previous government are now being asked by the Rudd Government to stretch their dollars even further.

Dr Jeffrey Grierson, who heads the HIV Futures study at La Trobe’s Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, said funding began to disappear several years ago just when it was most needed to reach the diversifying HIV positive population.

Early effects of the cuts included dropping several reports on problem states and territories and significant shortening of the latest survey currently underway.

The funding for this was very uncertain because of Commonwealth funding issues around HIV research. We’ve had effectively a fairly serious reduction in funding for HIV research, Grierson told Sydney Star Observer.

The Rudd Government kept the cuts and asked researchers to do more with the remaining cash, but Grierson believes the relationship is still an improvement.

We’ve got a really good relationship with the health minister [Nicola Roxon]. That makes communication easier but the logistics and economic constraints are still there, he said.

It’s not keeping up with inflation. We’re basically being asked to do a lot more research for the same amount of money.

The problems have been over a long period of time, but they’re not quickly fixed.

The decline has been happening over 10 years, so reinvigorating the HIV response will take a while.

HIV Futures, now in its sixth biennial survey, provides demographic details and identifies needs which are used by service providers to make strategic use of dwindling HIV dollars.

Its previous findings have revealed ongoing high levels of financial insecurity, including poverty, among positive respondents as well as difficulties maintaining careers.

If people with HIV are less likely to be in direct contact with support groups, there’s an increased need for research to get out there to where positive people are and find out what their experience is, Grierson said.

info: The survey, extended to 14 February, is limited to Australians with HIV and can be completed online at www.hivfutures.org.au.