Take the rights path – World AIDS Day 2024
“Take the rights path” is this year’s theme for World AIDS Day (WAD) on December 1st, highlighting the critical importance of protecting the human rights of those affected by HIV. This focus on human rights is a key element in the global efforts to end AIDS by 2030.
In Australia, the rights of people living with HIV are safeguarded by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and laws relating to confidentiality. Individuals living with HIV in Australia can work in nearly all occupations and are generally not required to disclose their HIV positive status, except in a few specific circumstances:
• Health workers performing exposure-prone procedures
• Applying for certain types of insurance
• Joining the military
• Donating blood
At the end of 2022, there were an estimated 28,870 people living with HIV in Australia, with 555 new HIV notifications (Source: Annual Surveillance Report 2023: HIV). Although there is no cure for HIV, it can be managed effectively like other chronic health conditions. To ensure the best outcomes, it is important to:
• Get diagnosed early. HIV testing is simple, yet 7% of people living with HIV in Australia remain undiagnosed. Additionally, people born in overseas have higher rates of undiagnosed cases and late diagnoses (Source: Annual Surveillance Report 2023: HIV). You can get tested through your GP, a community testing centre (rapid.org.au) or by ordering a free HIV home self-test kit at www.hivtest.au or www.rapid.org.au or purchasing one from www.atomohivtest.com ($29.99 plus postage & handling).
• Start treatment early. HIV treatments are highly effective. In Queensland, all people, including those on temporary visas (after living in Queensland for at least 3 months), can access free HIV treatment and care. For more details, visit https://www.qld.gov.au/health/condition/mens-health/hiv/hiv-aids. Effective treatment keeps HIV at undetectable levels (Undetectable = Untransmissible or U=U), meaning it cannot be passed on through sex. This is known as Treatment as Prevention (TasP).
• Use protection to reduce risks. Condoms, PrEP and PEP are available to prevent HIV transmission through sex. Since HIV can also be transmitted through infected blood, it is important to be cautious of risks such as tattooing, body piercing, unsterile medical or cosmetic procedures.
For more information, visit www.eccq.com.au/bbv or contact our team at 38449166.
If you are in Cairns, you can contact h Damian Garozzo-Vaglio at Cairns Sexual Health Services by calling 4226 4760 or emailing damian.garozzo-vaglio@health.qld.gov.au.
