HIV diagnoses in Australia hit 18-year low, but there is still a way go
Source: ABC News, 3 July 2019
Australia has solidified its reputation as a world leader in HIV prevention, recording its lowest number of new HIV cases in almost two decades.
However, challenges remain in reducing transmission among heterosexuals and the Indigenous population.
New figures released today by the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales reveal 835 HIV diagnoses were made in 2018, the lowest number on record since 2001.
The figure represents a 23 per cent decline in cases nationally in the past five years, to a rate that is nearing a third of what it was at the peak of the AIDS epidemic in 1987.
"This reduction is very encouraging," said Professor Rebecca Guy, head of the Kirby Institute's Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Program.
"Although we've seen reductions in recent years in some Australian states, in 2018 we saw significant reductions at a national level."
She said widespread HIV testing and treatment, alongside the introduction of HIV preventative medicine Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, was behind the public health success.
Funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health absent from federal budget
Source: NACCHO News, 3 April 2019
The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) is disappointed at the lack of funding allocated in the 2019-2020 federal budget for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services and the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector.
NACCHO welcomes the $15 million allocated for Indigenous suicide prevention and the $20 million for Indigenous specific initiatives for the implementation of the national strategies for blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections. However, we know that this commitment is well below the need.
“The gap between the health outcomes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians will continue to persist unless there is a significant commitment to supporting the work of Aboriginal community controlled health organisations,” NACCHO CEO, Pat Turner said.
NACCHO has long called for an increase to the baseline funding for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to support the sustainable delivery of high quality, comprehensive primary health care services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
SBS Insight – Living with HIV
Source: SBS, 2 April 2019
How much do you trust the people you’re with to tell you the truth about their sexual health?
Jenny Brockie speaks to people with HIV, and they discuss what it’s like to date and love in 2019.
View the episode at: https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/1461128260002
Response to Syphilis Outbreak Steps up Again
Source: The Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP, Media Hub, 26 March 2019
The Australian Government is again stepping up the fight against the syphilis outbreak affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in central, northern and southern Australia.
The Morrison Government is again stepping up the fight against the syphilis outbreak affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in central, northern and southern Australia.
In partnership with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, our Government has begun rolling out Phase 3 of its enhanced response to the outbreak.
Phase 3 extends the Test and Treat model to11 new Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
The response includes point of care test kits that enable immediate diagnosis and treatment of the disease, compared to a wait of up to two weeks for diagnosis using a traditional blood test.
Syphilis is preventable and treatable, but without treatment is deadly. We are making progress against this outbreak but it is shocking that it was allowed to become so entrenched in some First Nations communities.
The new phase will begin with training of staff and provision of kits at Mala’la Health Service in Maningrida, Western Arnhem Land, in the NT. This will be followed by roll out in the western, Eyre, far north and Adelaide regions of South Australia, and the Pilbara and Western Kimberley regions of Western Australia.
Read the full media release here.
STIs in remote Australia
Source: ABC Health Report, presented by Dr Norman Swan, 18 March 2019
A leading Aboriginal researcher is calling for action in remote Australia to deal with a preventable epidemic of sexually transmissible infections — including syphilis — in a population that's no more sexually active than non-Indigenous people of the same age.
Listen to the broadcast here.
Professor James Ward will address the National Rural Health Conference 2019 (24-27 March) on the topic of addressing sexually transmitted infections in remote Australia.
Guests:
Professor James Ward
Associate Professor, Flinders University; Head of Infectious Diseases Research, Aboriginal Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute
Host:
Dr Norman Swan
Producer:
James Bullen
Young Deadly Free February 2019 Newsletter
Young Deadly Free Health Promotion Collection
Have you seen the new Young Deadly Free health promotion videos or the new look Young Deadly Free posters? Don't wait any longer, they are all on our website:
https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/
All of our posters can be downloaded for printing locally. Our posters are great to put up in any Aboriginal organisation in your community, so feel free to share them around within your community and among your family and friends.
Our videos are also available for downloading also but if you have trouble downloading these let us know and we can send them to you on a packed USB. The videos range in length from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. There are videos to show community members as either conversation starters or for education sessions, or for training staff - particularly for induction and orientation.
Within our video collection we have different series of videos.
“Young Deadly and Free” from STIs and BBVs is important for our communities.
“Young Deadly and Free” is a collection of 6 videos featuring our mob! They have some great information, feature great people, with some good humour for our communities. Click on the link https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/health-messages/#ydf to watch all of the Young Deadly and Free from STI's and BBV's video clips.
Talkin True Series
The “Talkin’ True” series contains everyday community people helping to get the word out about the importance of STI testing, using condoms and talking about STIs and BBVs. Click on the link below to see the full collection of Talkin True:
https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/health-messages/#talkintrue
Speak up. Listen. Support Series
We are always learning and, there is always someone that can help us when we have a tricky situation or question. Sexual health is something we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about and seek help for. So don’t be shame; Speak up, Listen and Support each other today! If you want to watch more videos like this just click on the link below:
https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/health-messages/#speakup
Everyone can do their bit…
These videos showcase how some people are doing their part to help. They might even give you some ideas about how you can help too. See all of the "Everyone can do their bit" videos by clicking on the link:
https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/health-messages/#everyone
Our young people are taking responsibility by...
These videos showcase how some people are doing their part to help. Hopefully they give you some ideas about how you can help too. Watch more videos like this by clicking on the link below:
https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/health-messages/#young
Our adults support our young people by...
These videos showcase how some people are doing their part to help. You might even get some ideas about how you can help too. Click on the link to see the full collection. https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/health-messages/#adults
Posters
Click on the link to see the full range of Young Deadly Free posters: https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/young-deadly-syphilis-free/posters/
Infographics
Our infographics are easy to read and we have included a wide range of subjects. We aim to get our key messages out to young people and others in a fresh, engaging way. Click on the link to see all of our Young Deadly Free Infographics: https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/infographics/
These infographics and many more can be downloaded and printed locally for use in the community - in community health education sessions, in school sex education, and in other settings such as prisons.
Factsheets
Young Deadly Free fact-sheets are available, covering each of the STI's and blood borne viruses affecting young people in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. All of our fact-sheets are available in two formats – a longer form and a shorter form outlining “the basics”. The fact-sheets are designed to be easily accessible for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and can be used by clinicians, elders. parents and others in the community working with young people. You can find all of our fact-sheets here:
https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/factsheets/
All Young Deadly Free resources are protected by copyright laws.
For more information click go to https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/copyright/
Learn more at youngdeadlyfree.org.au or find us on Facebook
Comments or feedback on our resources?
Do you need our resources sent out to you on USB?
Email us at ydsf@sahmri.com
Young Deadly Free December 2018 Newsletter
New Young Deadly Free Resources?
The Young Deadly Free team have had a really busy year engaging with community and developing some really deadly culturally specific resources for our mob.
Our video resources are divided into the following categories:
- Being “Young Deadly and Free” from STIs and BBVs is important for our communities.
- Talkin’ True
- Speak up. Listen. Support.
- Everyone can do their bit… and
- Our adults support our young people by .....
Click on the links below to see the full collection.
New Posters:
https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/young-deadly-syphilis-free/posters/
New Television Commercials: Listen up and Risky
https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/tv-ads/
From our mob, for our mob video messages:
https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/resources/health-messages/
A reminder to please share our resources especially if you are working with young people to raise awareness of the campaign and of syphilis.
Increasing Testing in your Community
Have you considered running a testing campaign in your community targeting young people. Outreach family days, youth clinics and opportunistic testing have all had previous success in improving testing outcomes among young people.
Don't forget all of our resources are available for your use, this includes our new television commercials, our videos, new animations on syphilis, posters and our info-graphics.
All resources are free and can be downloaded from our website under the Resource tab: https://youngdeadlyfree.org.au/
Infectious syphilis outbreak Surveillance Report
This surveillance report summarises the outbreak epidemiological data as of 30 September 2018
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-infectious-syphilis-outbreak.htm
2018-2022 National Strategy
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy 2018–2022: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-bbvs-1
Social Media
Young Deadly Free are on on Facebook, Instagram and Diva Chat.
The Young Deadly Free project would like to thank our many social media followers. Please continue to share our page with your networks. Remember to like and share our page with your friends, family and community.
https://www.facebook.com/youngdeadlyfree
Young Deadly Free Staff would like to wish you all a Safe & Happy Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all in 2019
Follow Young Deadly Free on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on new resources as they're launched
Tackling HIV to live Young, Deadly, Free
Source: SAHMRI, 27 November 2018
A new multiplatform media campaign called Young, Deadly, Free aims to capitalise on a recent reduction in HIV diagnoses among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The campaign is the brainchild of Associate Professor James Ward and is part of a federally-funded $3.4 million project being administered through the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).
“Our most recent figures showed an annual reduction of 30 per cent in new HIV diagnoses among First Nations people, but overall the stats remain unacceptably high,” Associate Professor Ward said.
The prevalence of HIV among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is 1.6 times that of the non-Indigenous Australian-born population.
New TV and Social Media Campaign Tackles First Nations HIV
Source: Minister for Indigenous Health, Media Hub, The Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP, 27 November 2018
A new television, social media and community campaign has been launched during Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HIV Awareness Week, to increase understanding of HIV and reduce new cases among First Nations people.
A new television, social media and community campaign has been launched during Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HIV Awareness Week, to increase understanding of HIV and reduce new cases among First Nations people.
Part of a $3.4 million project funded by our Government, through the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), the campaign aims to capitalise on a reduction in new HIV diagnoses last year.
The campaign has First Nations voices and people speaking directly to First Nations people – communicating with cultural understanding, to help ensure these lifesaving messages get through.
Health authorities declare syphilis outbreak has spread to Adelaide
Source: ABC News, Exclusive by Rebecca Puddy and Isabel Dayman, 14 November 2018
A syphilis outbreak has been declared in Adelaide, as health authorities warn unborn babies could die if the infectious disease transmits through the womb.
SA Health issued an alert to medical practitioners, advising the syphilis outbreak had formally been extended to Adelaide after previously being in place in the state's Far North, Eyre Peninsula and western regions.
The outbreak began in regional Queensland in 2011, and since then thousands of people across four states have been infected.
The Federal Government's response to the outbreak — which includes rapid response tests — is yet to reach South Australia.
It has been rolled out in regional centres in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
SA Health communicable disease control director Louise Flood said there had been a "small but sustained increase in syphilis cases in metropolitan Adelaide over the past six months".