Minister joins HIV Foundation Queensland to mark new beginnings

The second phase of the E.N.D H.I.V. campaign will hit Queensland televisions and newspapers in the fight to stop the spread of HIV.

Health Minister Lawrence Springborg joined the HIV Foundation Queensland at today’s launch aimed at addressing stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV through powerful and very personal advertisements.

“Lack of understanding and awareness about HIV can lead to stigma and can shape how people view those who live with HIV,” Mr Springborg said.

“We want to put an end to the stigma so Queenslanders feel comfortable accessing testing services and seeking treatment for HIV.”

Mr Springborg said the series of new videos was designed to address stigma, promote testing, and encourage prevention through real life, powerful and very personal stories.

“It’s really important that we are able to educate the wider community about HIV. This will help the foundation with its goal to reduce HIV transmissions,” he said.

Foundation CEO Tony Majer said the videos featured no actors. Instead it used real people telling real and, at times, traumatic, stories in their own words.

“The foundation felt these videos were essential to provide a fresh and honest look at HIV today,” Mr Majer said.

“People living with HIV can have an important role to play in the fight to end HIV and the foundation is proud to be able to assist by shining some light on these powerful stories.

“An important part of the foundation’s strategy has been to deliver effective prevention and testing messages. By adding these real stories to our strategy we hope this can go some way to providing a real face to these important messages.”

Mr Springborg said the initiatives, along with $2.4m in annual funding for the foundation was further demonstration of the Newman Government’s strong health plan to provide a brighter future for all sectors of the community.

He said the HIV Foundation had already implemented a number of key initiatives since its establishment last year.

“In September last year I launched a comprehensive preventive strategy designed to increase voluntary testing, increase treatment uptake and to address stigma and discrimination,” Mr Springborg said.

“I congratulate the foundation on a great job implementing a number of activities which have so far, been firmly focussed on increasing testing.

“The foundation has further demonstrated its commitment to increasing access to HIV testing today by announcing that a new peer-based rapid testing service will open at the new HIV Foundation premises in Fortitude Valley in July.

“I applaud the milestones achieved by the foundation so far and I look forward to seeing the rollout of many more great initiatives aimed at putting an end to HIV in Queensland.”

[ENDS] 17 June 2014

 Media contact: Ian Eckersley Senior Media Advisor - 0432 754 897