Opinion - World AIDS Day by Dr Sarah Huffam
Spokesperson: Dr Sarah Huffam, infectious diseases and sexual health physician 
World AIDS Day on 1 December each year is a key opportunity to raise awareness about HIV, commemorate or remember those who have died, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention.
World AIDS Day remains relevant today, reminding everyone that HIV has not gone away. There is still a critical need for investment to respond to AIDS, to increase awareness of the impact of HIV on people’s lives. There is an opportunity to end stigma and discrimination and to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV.
Australia’s HIV burden has been lessened due to early and consistent commitments to implement evidence-based policies for prevention and treatment of HIV, as well as strong investment in HIV/AIDS research and care. As a result, we are recognised as a world leader in the response to the epidemic, achieving the UNAIDS targets of 90 per cent for people being diagnosed with HIV, receiving antiviral therapies, and for those on treatment achieving an undetectable viral load.
Whilst we see high uptake of HIV prevention, testing and treatment with infection rates trending down, there are persistent gaps. There is a high volume of notifications of HIV in specific communities, including gay and bisexual men; however, heterosexual sex is reported for nearly a quarter of new notifications in 2020. It is still not uncommon for people to be diagnosed with late HIV, missing the opportunity for early treatment to best preserve a healthy immune system, and to reduce the risk of transmission to others. Sadly, persistent stigma and discrimination continues to be experienced by those living with HIV.
HIV is preventable and ways to protect yourself include condoms, pre-exposure prophylaxis for those at high risk of acquiring HIV, safe injecting practices, and testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. For those with HIV, lifelong highly effective antiviral therapy is needed, which is now usually just one pill a day, with few side effects. When commenced early antiviral therapy may confer a near normal life expectancy. Adhering to antiviral treatments and regular viral load testing will also protect against transmitting HIV to your sexual partners. Barwon Health provides holistic HIV treatment and care including specialist medical, psychological and outreach support at the Barwon Health Reproductive and Sexual Health Clinic. This clinic also offers testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), in addition to these services being readily available in primary care from your GP.
As a community and as individuals, we can encourage others to understand more about how HIV is transmitted and the impact of living with HIV. At Barwon Health, we are committed to supporting people with access to testing, treatment and care, as we know that early diagnosis and treatment results in better health outcomes and reduces the likelihood of onward transmission.
Show your support for people with HIV on World AIDS Day by wearing a red ribbon, the international symbol of HIV awareness and support.