Australia ‘failing to meet’ HIV prevention targets, facing calls for funding boost

Dec 11 2017
Written by Josh Milton

(Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

Australia’s opposition Labor Party has warned that the country is failing to meet targets for tackling the HIV crisis – as it announced a new funding plan.

Labor demanded new funding for HIV prevention after warning that the country had fallen behind on its goal of eliminating new HIV infections by 2020.

Under the plans, people at high-risk of HIV would be given cheaper access to breakthrough preventative medicine.

The $53 million plan would also expand state trials of PrEP and increase funding for HIV organisations.

Bill Shorten celebrates the announcement of Australia voting yes for marriage equality (Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

One of the key features of Shorten’s plan is dedicating funding to improving prevention, testing, and treatment for “hidden populations”.

Those populations include people who have HIV but have yet to be diagnosed or treated and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Among indigenous populations, HIV transmission has rapidly increased and certain groups are campaigning for wider recognition of LGBT+ aboriginals.

Around half of those living with HIV in the Asia-Pacific – a region which includes Australia – do not have access to potentially life-saving treatment.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

Under the plan to change this, state and territory PrEP trials would be expanded to an additional 17,500 people.

Labor health spokesperson Catherine King said: “Labor will fund states and territories to expand those trials to reach the people who are missing out under Malcolm Turnbull.

“We have the knowledge to make HIV history – now we need the resources.”

(Getty)

$10 million will also be restored to HIV organisations, and the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) welcomed this.

AFAO CEO, Darryl O’Donnell told the Sydney Morning Herald: “We warmly welcome federal Labor’s commitment, which would allow us to properly pursue the end of HIV transmission within a decade.”

“HIV prevention and treatment among Indigenous Australians, migrants and some sections of the gay community is stubbornly difficult.

“A package such as this would allow us to go the extra mile, to ensure new medicines and testing technology reach every corner touched by the HIV epidemic.”