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PDF printable version of World AIDS Day 2010 (PDF 22 KB)

Joint Release

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing

The Hon Catherine King MP
Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing

1 December 2010

Today is World AIDS Day – an important opportunity to renew Australia’s commitment to raise awareness and improve education about HIV.

Australia’s theme for World AIDS Day 2010 is Take Action. No Discrimination.

We can all support HIV/AIDS awareness by encouraging the acceptance of individuals living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS. And we can all take action by supporting those living with the disease and protecting against the further spread of the virus.

There are an estimated 33 million people living with HIV globally. In Australia an estimated 20,171 people were living with HIV at the end of 2009. Prevention remains a priority to ensure Australia continues to have one of the lowest rates of new HIV diagnoses in the world.

Since last year’s World AIDS Day, we have released Australia’s Sixth National HIV Strategy 2010 – 2013. For the next three years this document will guide policies relating to the prevention, testing, and treatment of HIV in Australia. This strategy was developed in partnership with community stakeholders, research organisations, medical professionals and state and territory health departments.

The Australian Government has invested in a range of activities aimed at preventing blood borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections. These include:

• $9.0 million per year from 2008 to 2011 for four national research centres to provide HIV clinical and social research, HIV and hepatitis virology research, and research focussing on sex, health and society;
• $5.8 million in 2010-2011 to support the work of community based HIV/AIDS organisations throughout Australia, including the National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS and the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisation;
• $16.2 million in 2009-2010 for prevention, education and surveillance activities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
• $221.2 million in 2008-9 for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, and C medications under the Highly Specialised Drugs program and
• $9.8 million between 2007-2008 to 2010-2011 for the STI Prevention Program

World AIDS Day 2010 is also an important reminder to all Australians that there is still no cure or effective vaccine for HIV.

For further information on World AIDS Day 2010 visit: www.worldaidsday.org.au

For more information, please contact the Parliamentary Secretary's Office on (02) 6277 4230