Media Release 20 Dec 2007

World AIDS Day 2007: ‘HIV/AIDS – Prevention is Everybody's Business’

AIDS Awareness Week culminates in the annual global event, World AIDS Day, on Saturday 1st December.

In Australia HIV infections are at their highest rate in seven years and health professionals are urging all Australians to remember that prevention is everybody's business.

Professor Andrew Grulich, Acting Chair of the NSW Ministerial Advisory Committee on HIV and Sexually Transmissible Infections explains, “Australians of all ages and backgrounds are affected by HIV/AIDS – women, men, children, gay, straight, single, married, young and old. We need to continue to be informed about HIV/AIDS in order to work towards reducing new infections as well as discrimination.”

The most effective way for people to protect themselves and their partners and reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS is through practising safe sex, using condoms and getting tested regularly.

HIV/AIDS is a life threatening, yet preventable disease. Talking about it openly will help to generate awareness and understanding within the community.

With over 16,000 Australians currently living with HIV/AIDS, many suffer from stigma and discrimination. It has been twenty five years since the identification of HIV, yet people living with HIV/AIDS still face barriers accessing healthcare services, accommodation and insurance, as well as prejudice within the work environment.

On World AIDS Day Australians are being asked to raise awareness and show their support by attending a World AIDS Day event or by wearing a red ribbon – the international symbol of AIDS awareness.

To commemorate World AIDS Day the Solidarity choir will perform at the Stanton Library in North Sydney featuring songs from around the world and testimonies from people living with HIV.

The Stanton library is located at 234 Miller St, North Sydney. The event will commence at 3.00pm on Saturday 1st December.

To find out about other World AIDS day events, visit www.worldaidsdaynsw.org

Media Contact: Emily Saker, Public Affairs Tel: 9926 8313 or 0404 054 160

NB: Interviews with experts available on request.

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