New HIV Foundation Queensland to help END HIV
Published Sunday, 03 November, 2013 at 01:40 PM
Minister for Health
The Honourable Lawrence Springborg
For the first time in almost ten years Queensland will once again have a dedicated organisation focused on the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg today confirmed the new HIV Foundation Queensland would come into existence on 1 December, to coincide with World AIDS Day.
Mr Springborg said the new body built on the Newman Government’s commitment to elevate HIV/AIDS as a priority health issue in Queensland and would help ensure the state became the nation’s leader in the fight to END HIV.
The announcement comes on the back of new figures confirming for the year to date as at October, the number of new HIV diagnoses in Queensland decreased by 8 per cent compared to the same periods in 2011 and 2012.
The creation of the new Foundation also builds on Queensland’s status as the nation’s leader in HIV testing after the state’s LNP government earlier this year ensured Queensland became the first state to roll out state-wide free rapid HIV testing as a part of regular clinical practice.
Mr Springborg said he had written to members of the current Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on HIV/AIDS, appointed last year and invited them to become members of the HIV Foundation Queensland which will be led by Dr Darren Russell as Chairman, who is also the Director of Sexual Health Services in Cairns.
“The Ministerial Advisory Committee has done an exceptional job by spearheading the END HIV campaign and it is now fitting to give it a clearer identity and greater flexibility to drive the HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention agenda,” Mr Springborg said.
He said when the LNP won office last year it inherited HIV diagnosis rates at double the level they were ten years ago.
“Worse still, in the gay community where more than two-thirds of diagnosis occurs, this government inherited the worst levels of unprotected sex in the entire nation since surveys started,” he said.
“We will be dealing with the consequences of this public health failure for years to come.”
Mr Springborg said it gave him a great sense of satisfaction to see the new HIV Foundation Queensland come into existence given he had strongly fought the ill-conceived decision by the previous Labor Government to remove funding and close down the former Queensland AIDS Council in 2004.
“In September I launched a comprehensive preventive strategy designed to increase voluntary testing, increase treatment uptake and to address stigma and discrimination and the new Foundation will drive that strategy,” he said.
Mr Springborg said the foundation’s core remit would be to provide advice to the government on HIV/AIDS strategy and to facilitate and promote research.
“However, we want to avoid a repeat of the previous Labor Government’s model which saw resources and energy channelled away from HIV/AIDS campaigns,” he said.
“To achieve this, the foundation will continue to oversee the same budget allocation that currently sits with theMinisterial Advisory Committee, but core decisions relating to expenditure and contracts will still require Ministerial oversight.
“The foundation will be governed by a board, comprised of the current members of the Ministerial Advisory Committee, who have proven they have the necessary skills mix to deliver the nature of work involved with HIV prevention, awareness and treatment.
“The foundation will also be better positioned to raise funds to support the provision of these activities to END HIV in Queensland.”
[ENDS] 3 November 2013
Media Contact: Alexandra Foley 0419 794 294