Welcome to the Summer edition of NAPWHA News. In this edition we look back on the organisation’s work with information on upcoming events and updates on current projects and activity including:
NAPWHA Board Update
BOARD SCHEDULE
The NAPWHA AGM is set for Friday 18th and Saturday 19th November in Sydney at the Vibe Hotel in Sydney.
The AGM will be preceded by an Executive Officers meeting on Thursday 17th November where we will host EO’s from the states and territories.
The new NAPWHA Board will hold its first meeting on Monday 21st November.
The NAPWHA Board has finalised consultation with our members and stakeholders to review the progress of the organisations current Strategic Plan which goes to 2013. Feedback will be presented to the November AGM with a report also available.
NAPWHA SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES
NAPWHA organised a satellite session at the 2011 ASHMAustralasian Society for HIV Medicine. The peak Australasian organisation representing the medical and health sector in HIV/AIDS and related areas. conference looking at the June United Nations Declaration on AIDS, and what it means for Australia’s HIV response. Speakers included NAPWHA Special Representative Bill Whittaker, Prof Michael Kidd, and the Principal Health Adviser of AusAIDAustralian Agency for International Development. Australian Government agency responsible for managing the Australian Government's official overseas aid program. . A panel of CBO representative discussed the current national HIV strategy and possible changes to align it with the global declaration which has been endorsed by the Australian government. NAPWHA President, Robert Mitchell Co-chaired the satellite with a representative from the Department of Health and Ageing.
Other activities during the 2011 ASHM conference included the a NAPWHA media release calling on Australia to do better on HIV and to up its game by reducing transmissions of HIV among men who have sex with men by 80 per cent by 2015 and supporting other targets as a part of a reinvigoration of the national HIV response. Read the NAPWHA media release
The ASHM conference also saw the announcement of the 7th of November as the opening of the ATRAS study. A study recruitingThe act of signing up participants into a study. Generally this process involves evaluating a participant with respect to the eligibility criteria of the study and going through the informed consent process. people ineligible for Medicare, needing ARVA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. treatments and developed by NAPWHA, The Kirby Institute and with drugs supplied by seven pharmaceutical companies.
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NAPWHA Research Unit
HIV-stigma Audit
The NAPWHA Research Unit has concluded the data collection for the ‘HIV Stigma Audit’. Assistant Director (Research Programs) Sean Slavin presented the preliminary findings from the research to the ICAAP Conference in Korea in August and the 2011 ASHM Conference in Canberra in September.
The 2011 ASHM Conference also saw Sean Slavin present a paper ‘The Collateral Damage from HIV Criminal Cases’ and provided the opportunity to conduct a forum looking at HIV and Law – an event co-hosted by NAPWHA and AFAOAustralian Federation of AIDS Organisations. AFAO is the peak non-government organisation representing Australia's community-based response to HIV/AIDS. AFAO's work includes education, policy, advocacy and international projects. .
The HIV and Law forum was attended by around 50 people who examined the intersection of criminal, public health and civil laws relating to the sexual transmission of, and exposure to HIV. A range of speakers from affected communities, public health agencies, government, health and community based sectors examined the Australian context which was also compared with international experience. Click here for more information on the NAPWHA and AFAO, HIV and Law forum.
NAPWHA has commenced preliminary work on a research project looking at ‘People living with HIV who do not use antiretroviral treatment’. This is a qualitative study of the beliefs, motivations and influences that shape people’s decisions not to treat. The research aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the factors that affect decisions not to treat in order that health promotion can better address treatment information and the support needs of this population. Qualitative interviews will be conducted by the NAPWHA project officer who aims to recruit a diversity of HIV-positive non-treating participants.
If you would like to participate in the research, if you know of potential participants, or if have an interest in the research, please contact Scott Lockhart
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Treatments and the Treataware Project
TREATMENTS
NAPWHA Executive Director, Jo Watson, presented at the ASHM conference on the AHOD Temporary Resident Access Study (ATRAS) and issues for HIV patients without Medicare access and their doctors. Read more about the ATRAS study.
NAPWHA has progressed policy discussions looking at issues for people trying to manage health care costs and co-payments. Work has started on a submission to government on chronic illness and cost burdens and how to support people to maintain their health.
TREATAWARE
CHIN WAG
On the 1st of September NAPWHA’s Treataware project, in collaboration with Queensland Positive People (QPP) hosted a CHIN WAG chat show looking at HIV treatments and healthy living with HIV. The Chin Wag was sponsored by Boehringer- Ingelheim, and held at the Hotel Cairns.
Around forty people attended the Chin Wag which saw Vanessa Wagner and Nurse Nancy at the helm. A panel included S100 prescriber Dr Kay Haig and ClinicalPertaining to or founded on observation and treatment of participants, as distinguished from theoretical or basic science. Nurse Consultant Simon Doyle-Adams from Cairns Sexual Health Service. The panel also included Peter Watts, Health Promotion & Treatments Officer at QPP and Jennifer McDonald Consultant Dietician/Treatments Officer who covers the country sharing nutritional tips and tricks. In the words of one participant ‘the event was very informative and there was a very positive attitude that pervaded the room’.
SAVVY & SORTED
Treataware supported a ‘Savvy and Sorted’ event in Hobart 13 October. The event included speakers Dr Frank Nicklason (gerontologist) Dr Louise Owen (S100 prescriber) and Ross Duffin (Positive spokesperson) which included a focus and answer session looking at growing older with HIV.
TREATAWARE OUTREACH NETWORK
Treataware will host a Treataware Outreach Network (TON) in Sydney Thursday 3 and Friday 4 November. The program will include State Reports, Genotyping, ASHM Conference Feedback and other topical issues.
ROAD SHOW
A Roadshow event will be hosted in Brisbane 26 October and in Cairns 27 October. Read more about these and other programs and events at Treataware.
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Positive Living
SPRING EDITION NOW OUT
In the Spring issue of Positive Living, Adrian Ogier brings you the news as usual and reports back on all the ‘Treatment IS prevention’ excitement from the IAS conference in Rome. In light of HPTN 052, David Menadue tries to find out how infectious we really are; Kirsty Machon discovers some fascinating reservoir research happening in Melbourne; James May retraces the steps he’s taken on the road to find intimacy; Mark Stephens suggests updating your combo; Robert Mitchell reveals the important contribution Australia made at the recent UN special session on HIV; Dr Louise gives us the lowdown on syphilis; and Vicky Fisher has more gentle exercise. Read POSITIVE LIVING online.
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NAPWHA Policy
CHANGES TO DSP
NAPWHA, through the membership and with sector partners AFAO, presented feedback to the DSP Impairments Tables Consultation Workshops hosted on the 12th September in Sydney. Read more about the changes to the DSP in Positive Living.
NAPWHA’s WORK IN PNGPapua New Guinea
John Rule, NAPWHA consultant with the Consortium for Health in PNG (CHPNG) attended a Parliamentary breakfast in Canberra on the 22nd of September and presented on NAPWHA’s CHPNG work over the last decade. NAPWHA continues to support in-country stakeholders and contractors with a range of administrative and project development planning including, advocacy, training and capacity building activities with IGAT HopeOrganisation representing people living with HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea. ('Igat Hope' means 'There is hope' in Tok Pisin, the national language of PNG)., our sister organisation based in Port Moresby. NAPWHA also directly supported the attendance of an IGAT Hope representative to the 2011 ASHM conference.
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NAPWHA Secretariat News
ORIENTATION
NAPWHA secretariat welcomed the new Executive Officer of PLWHA (Victoria) Jane Hughes to a two day orientation and provided an intensive program for Jane on the14th and 15th of September at our Sydney office focusing on the HIV sector, HIV policy and HIV-positive population priorities.
BUSINESS MANAGER
NAPWHA Business Manager, Craig Cooper has resigned to relocate to the Northern Territory. Craig leaves the organisation to join his partner in Darwin who has recently taken up a new position there. We wish Craig all the very best for the future and thank him warmly for his contribution and the energy he has bought to his role, the office and the organisation - all the best Craig.
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NAPWHA Membership News
NATIONAL NETWORK OF WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV
The NAPWHA women’s network has hosted two teleconferences over the winter/spring period and will host a face-to-face meeting in Sydney 20 and 21 October. The network, now known as the National Network of Women Living with HIV has developed an agenda for the meeting which will see the members prioritise activity and develop strategies to carry its advocacy and policy work through 2012. Read more about the National Network of Women Living with HIV.
PATSINPositive Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Network. A NAPWHA-auspiced national membership-based network of Indigenous people living with HIV/AIDS.
The Positive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Network (PATSINIndigenous Positive Network. Now known as PATSIN (Positive Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Network).) is hosting a teleconference for potential new members on the 21st of October – ahead of a face-to-face in Sydney on the 10th and 11th of November. That meeting is expected to see as many as seven new members attending – an exciting proposition for the network whose numbers until recently have been static. NAPWHA is thrilled to support the attendance of these potential new members and we look forward to the new ideas and new energy. Read more about PATSIN
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