New Campaign Aims to Eliminate New HIV Infections By 2025

MEDIA RELEASE - EMBARGOED UNTIL 7 AM ON 01 FEBRUARY 2017

ENDING HIV: NZAF’s New Campaign Aims to Eliminate New HIV Infections By 2025

The New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) has set an ambitious, but achievable goal to end all new HIV transmissions by 2025 and it is calling on Kiwis to get on board and support its efforts through the new campaign - Ending HIV.

Since 2012 the number of new HIV infections in New Zealand has been on the rise. 2015 saw the highest number ever recorded, with an estimated 1 in 15 gay and bisexual men living with HIV in New Zealand.

The Ending HIV campaign brings together a combination of prevention options that work to reduce the risk of HIV transmission or prevent it completely. It also raises awareness of supporting people living with HIV.

HIV is arguably the world’s most dangerous infectious disease epidemic of our time, however, when compared to global trends, New Zealand has a low HIV prevalence. This is largely due to high levels of condom use in the country.

The Ending HIV campaign aims to maintain rates of condom use, make the preventative medication PrEP* more widely available to those who need it, find undiagnosed HIV infection through increased testing and provide more immediate treatment to people diagnosed with HIV. Jason Myers, Executive Director, NZAF says, “If we can achieve all of this, New Zealand would be well positioned to reverse the trend of growing HIV infections.”

“HIV is most dangerous when you don’t know it’s there. With HIV rates on the rise – getting a sexual health check-up at least twice a year is a must for high risk individuals,” says Mr. Myers. “If you do test positive for HIV, the new medications available are very effective, easy to take and have few side effects. HIV is no longer a death sentence, it’s a serious, but manageable, health condition.”

The Ending HIV campaign is also vital in reducing the stigma around HIV. “People have a right to health equality and we need to demand nothing less. Years of work have meant we’re in the fortunate position of keeping the HIV epidemic at low levels compared to other countries. However, considering the prevention options available, it is a gross injustice that nearly two million people continue to be newly diagnosed with HIV every year around the world,” says Mr. Myers.

“The longer we take to make available the full suite of HIV prevention options the higher the numbers will grow, and the higher the costs to our communities in treating the disease. If communities, clinicians and policy-makers work together, ending new HIV infections by 2025 is achievable. Imagine a future where there are no new transmissions of HIV - what a gift that would be to the next generation.”

Notes to Editor:

• The HIV virus spreads only in specific ways, namely via unprotected sexual intercourse, sharing needles, breastfeeding and direct blood to blood contact with a person living with HIV.

• Gay and bisexual men are at the most risk of contracting HIV in NZ. See more at: https://www.nzaf.org.nz/getting-tested/testing-month/hiv-risk-for-gay-men/

• Condoms are the most effective barrier for preventing HIV and other STIs; early testing for HIV and; getting access to HIV treatment has scientifically shown to be good for the long term health of people newly diagnosed with HIV.

• *Pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP refers to the use of HIV medication by people who are HIV-negative in order to reduce their risk of HIV infection. When taken on a daily basis, PrEP ensures there is enough HIV medication in the body to significantly reduce the risk of becoming infected with HIV if exposed during unprotected sex. PrEP contains two antiviral medicines, Tenofovir and Emtricitabine, which are also used to treat people who already have HIV infection. These are the same drugs used to suppress the virus in people living with HIV. See more at: https://www.nzaf.org.nz/hiv-aids-stis/hiv-prevention/prep/

• HIV medication can reduce the amount of HIV in a person’s blood to an undetectable level. This reduces infectivity and the risk of HIV transmission is drastically reduced.

• Campaign video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnqvUjM6ux0

ENDS

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