HIV in the modern era

This year, the annual awareness day falls on Sunday. 

Peter Ford, Senior Service and Outreach Coordinator at the Burnett Foundation Center,emphasized the goal of ending HIV transmission in Aotearoa by 2030. Ford highlighted that 45% of the 97 new HIV patient cases in New Zealand last year were under the age of 30, and stressed the importance of public awareness.

“If you got cancer, people would all care about you, but if you get HIV, people are likely not to see you or be frightened of you or something like that. So there's still a lot of negative stigma around HIV.”

Although there is no cure to AIDS, people with HIV are now able to live a high quality life. PrEP medication is available to prevent HIV and for those diagnosed with the the virus, anti retrovirals are available. Ford says that world AIDS day is also important to “recognize and remember those people who have been impacted by HIV and AIDS, as there's millions who have died and millions living with HIV.”

After conducting a survey on attitudes towards those with HIV, Ford says that 78% of people surveyed would not have a sexual partner with the virus, underscoring the need for education. 

“In New Zealand, gay and bisexual men are badly impacted by HIV, but in the rest of the world, things look a little different. So there are probably more women and children living with HIV in the world.”

He urges people to seek education on the topic, and for everyone to get regular sexual health checks, as hetrosexual people are also at risk. 

This Sunday in Ōtautahi, a church service will be held at Durham Street Methodist church at 10am followed by a screening of Philadelphia (1933) at Lumiere Cinema, 3pm, to commemorate the day.