MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
On World AIDS Day, I am very pleased to announce new programs in the Asia-Pacific region worth $215 million as part of Australia's extensive commitment to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS.
With more than 8.6 million people already infected in the Asia Pacific, the fight to push back this expanding epidemic must be escalated. Asia has one of the fastest growing epidemics with almost 1 million people newly infected with HIV in the last 12 months. Three quarters of the people living with HIV in the Pacific are in Papua New Guinea where there are an estimated 64,000 people with HIV/AIDS.
The new programs I am announcing today show Australia's continued commitment to meeting our $600 million promise to fight HIV/AIDS.
They build on the achievements of our work so far. For example, in Vietnam where the epidemic is largely driven by injecting drug use, we have been able to share the lessons and know-how we developed in dealing with our own HIV epidemic.
In the Philippines, Cambodia and PNG, we have provided the support to enable each of these countries to draft and implement legislation to protect the rights of people living with HIV. In Xinjiang, China, our work with the local Muslim Imams to inform and support affected communities has been recognised by the World Health Organisation as world's best practice.
The new initiatives include a doubling of our program in Burma, Vietnam and two southern provinces in China to include Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines. The work, to cost $65 million over eight years, will continue the focus on helping local authorities reduce the likelihood of HIV infection among injecting drug users.
In PNG, where we have already trained 620 health workers and 1400 counsellors to care for and support people living with HIV/AIDS and established 17 community care centres for HIV positive people, a new five-year program will start next year. It will continue to strengthen the PNG Government's response to this epidemic and build the capacity of the country's health system to cope with the disease and its impact.
Media contacts:
Tony Parkinson (Mr Downer's Office) 02 6277 7500
AusAID Public Affairs 0417 680 590