Efforts to combat HIV transmission in Sydney’s suburbs, previously devastated by the AIDS epidemic, have shown remarkable success, with the highest reduction in new HIV infections reported globally since 2010. Particularly, postcodes with a significant gay population have experienced an 88% decline in new cases, pointing to the effectiveness of targeted prevention initiatives in these areas.
Challenges in Expanding HIV Prevention Beyond Inner City
Despite the significant progress in inner-city areas, the success of HIV prevention campaigns have been less pronounced in the outer suburbs of Sydney, where a 31% decrease in new HIV infections has been observed over the same period.
This discrepancy highlights the need to expand prevention services to diverse communities in these regions, presenting a unique challenge for public health efforts (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
In Australia, Most HIV Infections Among Gay and Bisexual Men are Attributable to Sex with ‘New’ Partners
Go to source
).Strengthening Outreach and Education for Lasting Impact
To further enhance HIV prevention efforts, healthcare providers and organizations have been actively working to extend education and healthcare initiatives outside the inner city.
The use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has shown promising results in reducing the risk of HIV transmission but its uptake has been lower in areas with a lower proportion of gay men. To bridge this gap, targeted messaging, community involvement, and multilingual services have become integral components of these outreach endeavors.
Advertisement
Despite significant progress, stakeholders emphasized the need for sustained funding and active intervention to maintain the gains achieved and continue the fight against HIV.
Reference :
- In Australia, Most HIV Infections Among Gay and Bisexual Men are Attributable to Sex with ‘New’ Partners – (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28283774/)
Source: Medindia
Source link
#Sydney #Eradicating #HIV
