On 28 June 2017 the Minister for Health launched the Victorian HIV Strategy 2017-2020 alongside Professor Sharon Lewin, the Director of the Peter Doherty Institute, and speakers from Living Positive Victoria's Positive Speaker Bureau.
Through the strategy, the Victorian Government will improve prevention, testing and treatment of HIV in collaboration with affected communities. A key target of the strategy is to have 95 per cent of people with HIV diagnosed, accessing the best treatment, and achieving undetectable viral load by 2030. The strategy also seeks to eliminate HIV-related discrimination and stigma.
The strategy will ensure that health care professionals have greater knowledge of HIV, including communities affected by or living with HIV. Through the actions outlined in the strategy, the Victorian HIV workforce will have the knowledge they need to deliver appropriate and evidence-based care that meets the needs of priority populations.
To develop this strategy the government consulted with a wide range of people living with and affected by HIV, as well as the community, health professionals and researchers. The consultations focused on prevention, treatment and care, and brought together participants from a diverse range of backgrounds and organisations.
The new HIV strategy is available here.
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