Australia is on track to reach the UN AIDS targets of 95-95-95.
At the HIV Science Conference in Brisbane Skye McGregor of the Kirby Institute presented a study showing that Australia is on track to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, which call for 95% of all people living with HIV to know their HIV status, 95% of all people diagnosed with HIV to receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy to achieve viral suppression by 2025.
However, the study authors point out that continued success is not guaranteed.
While Australia achieved the 90-90-90 targets in 2020 and saw declines in new HIV diagnoses during the COVID-19 crisis, achieving the more ambitious 95-95-95 targets will require increased efforts to diagnose people living with HIV earlier and immediately link them to ongoing care and treatment.
“As Australia stays on course to become one of the first countries to virtually eliminate HIV, the science produced here has the potential to inform the global HIV response,” said Charles Gilks, IAS 2023 Local Chair and Queensland Professorial Chair of BBVs and STIs at the University of Queensland, Australia.
“Key to our national success has been a focus on prevention and on equitable access to care for anyone at risk of HIV, a winning strategy we are proud to share with the world.”
Heather Ellis, a woman living with HIV and communications and engagement coordinator for Positive Women Victoria, said there needed to be a much greater level of education about HIV in Australian society, especially in the education sector.
Positive Women Victoria is Australia’s only fully funded community organisation supporting and advocating for women living with HIV.
“Achieving the last mile of the virtual elimination of HIV in Australia will require additional interventions – including those specifically designed to reach women. While the gay, bi-sexual and men who have sex with men communities are very aware of the benefit of prevention tools like PrEP, the heterosexual community is pretty much oblivious.
“We need greater education – including as part of secondary school curricula – to raise awareness around how to prevent HIV, including new tools like long-acting injectable PrEP,” said Heather Ellis, a woman living with HIV and communications and engagement coordinator for Positive Women Victoria, Australia’s only fully funded community organisation supporting and advocating for women living with HIV.” Ellis said.
At a media conference Ellis spoke about the powerful effect talks from people living with HIV had in schools, but there is no requirement for educators to present HIV information as part of the curriculum.
IAS 2023, the 12th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science is taking place at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre and virtually until 26 July. The conference has drawn thousands of experts from across the worlds of science, policy and activism to Brisbane to examine the latest advances in HIV research and forge a more equitable and innovative HIV response.
OIP Staff
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