HIV Australia 2016

There are currently no needle and syringe programs (NSPs) operating in any Australian prisons. This is despite a growing body of international research clearly demonstrating that NSPs have been shown to be safe, beneficial and cost-effective within a variety of prison settings.

At a high-level meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, held in Malaysia in October 2015, ministers yet again reiterated their commitment to rid the region of drugs:

‘My work history stems back 30 years before decriminalisation came into place, and things back then weren’t as good as they are today. Police brutality and physical violence from the people passing by on the streets was unacceptable. As a transgender sex worker we were beaten by the police if we spoke out against them, and what they use to do to us.’ – Transgender sex worker.

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (JH&FMHN) is responsible for the provision of health services for people in contact with the forensic mental health and criminal systems throughout New South Wales.

People entering the Australian criminal justice system experience extreme health inequities compared to the broader population, with elevated risks for communicable and chronic disease, high levels of drug and alcohol addiction, and little to no prior contact with healthcare services outside of the prison setting.

When we talk about closing the gap in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, we often have very siloed ideas of what that means: there’s over-incarceration, the health gap and the education gap, for example. But viral hepatitis, and particularly hepatitis C, is one of those areas where it all links together in a horrible cycle that ends up disproportionately affecting Aboriginal people’s health.

Many people believe that under the Medicare system, all Australians are provided with universal access to health services and pharmaceuticals. However, prisoners have always been excluded from Medicare coverage, with all prison health care provided by state and territory governments.

Modern criminal prosecutions rely increasingly on the use of evidence from forensic science. Such evidence can help establish the identity of offenders, place defendants at the crime scene, or support a prosecution narrative.

Providing information and guidance about risks and responsibilities.

There are currently no needle and syringe programs (NSPs) operating in any Australian prisons. This is despite a growing body of international research clearly demonstrating that NSPs have been shown to be safe, beneficial and cost-effective within a variety of prison settings.

The Public Health Act is a key piece of NSW legislation which impacts the lived experience of people living with HIV.

Despite three decades of education and awareness-raising, misconceptions persist about the risk posed by people living with blood borne viruses (BBVs) in occupational settings.

Police are the first responders to a range of complex situations involving criminal, civil or public health related issues, some of which may relate to HIV. Law enforcement, HIV and public health are therefore inextricably linked; however many law enforcement agencies do not perceive these connections.

Australia’s decisive and early harm reduction response to HIV is internationally lauded. Alongside the sustained efforts led by the Australian gay community to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV, Australia’s early implementation, expansion and ongoing maintenance of a national needle and syringe program (NSP) stands as one of our most significant and enduring achievements in reducing the local impact of HIV.

There are currently no needle and syringe programs (NSPs) operating in any Australian prisons. This is despite a growing body of international research clearly demonstrating that NSPs have been shown to be safe, beneficial and cost-effective within a variety of prison settings.