Gays, sistergirls and members of the broader indigenous community celebrated the official launch of Australia’s first national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community based HIV and AIDS organisation in Brisbane last month.

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The Anwernekenhe National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HIV/AIDS Alliance was a culmination of 20 years work by those in the indigenous community concerned about the growing HIV infection rates and risk of AIDS.

The alliance which originally focused on gay men and transgender people has extended to those in the broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community at risk of HIV, such as women and young people, people who inject drugs, engage in sex work or sex for favours and who are in custodial settings or are transient.

Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations President Dr Graham Brown said the alliance now has a strong independent and national voice for building and maintaining a comprehensive and effective response to HIV among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

‘A key aspect of the alliance is the real experiences of indigenous people living with HIV and bringing the focus to a local level,’ Dr Brown said.

‘A good example is the drafting and developing of new HIV national strategies for the next five years for the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander communities.’

ANA Secretary Gail Jones works for the Western Australian Aids Council and said the work was vital since it was not being undertaken by mainstream health or Aboriginal services.

‘It is quite scary, hence why the group is so important,’ Ms Jones said.

‘We’ve got a finger on the pulse as far as transmission is concerned so it is not going through the roof but there are other areas that still need a lot of attention.’

The alliance from its infancy has ensured the rolling out of culturally appropriate HIV prevention and support resources and treatment programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gay men and sistergirls nationally.

It has worked to increase early identification of the role that sexual abuse within indigenous communities could play in facilitating HIV transmission and development of a strategy to address this issue, accurately assessed injecting drug use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and placed the issue on the agenda of the mainstream HIV and Hepatitis C responses, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and health agencies.

The alliance prides itself on lowering the national rates of HIV infections and increasing understanding and education among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities ahead of mainstream response’s achievements to date.

Image- ANA Launch taken by Brian Condron

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