17 June 2008

HIV rates remain stable in NSW

NSW Minister for Health Reba Meagher said today the Iemma Government will continue its investment into HIV research as new figures confirm HIV rates have remained stable over the last 10 years.

Ms Meagher said $500,000 in research grants will fund three new studies by the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research aimed at:

• Improving understanding of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) risk in gay men
• Improving the response to STIs among indigenous Australians
• Mapping STI prevalence and access to health services among Sydney's female sex workers.

"This investment will further strengthen HIV services and programs in NSW and builds on the $90 million funding to Area Health Services and non government organisations in 2007-08 for HIV prevention, care and treatment activities," said Ms Meagher.

New figures released by NSW Health reveal 404 new notifications of HIV in NSW in 2007.

"The 2007 result confirms that the NSW HIV notification rate has remained stable over the past 10 years but any new cases of HIV are too many," Ms Meagher said.

"There were 424 cases notified in 1997 and 408 in 1998, so the 2007 result confirms that NSW has avoided the big rises seen in most other states over the last decade.

"Avoiding big increases is good news but our goal is to achieve a sustained reduction in HIV and there's clearly still a lot of work to be done to get there."

Ms Meagher said the pattern of transmission in NSW in 2007 was similar to that seen in previous years, apart from a small increase in the number of women being diagnosed.

"There has been a slight increase in the number of women diagnosed with HIV but it's important to remember that diagnoses among women continue to be a very small proportion of the overall picture.

"Sex between men continues to account for over 70 per cent of all new diagnoses, heterosexual sex contributes about 20 per cent while the transmission rate from injecting drug use continues to be very low."

Ms Meagher said the overall stability of HIV notifications is particularly notable given that more than 60 per cent of all Australians living with HIV live in NSW and the number of people living with HIV/AIDS is increasing due to a decline in AIDS-related deaths.

"Despite these pressures the Iemma Government's efforts, in partnership with researchers, clinicians, Area Health Service health promoters and non-government organisations like the AIDS Council of NSW and Positive Life, together with the affected communities, have ensured that our HIV rate has remained stable," Ms Meagher said.

To view the data visit www.health.nsw.gov.au

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au