An HIV rapid test kit A concerted community response, testing, drug treatments and condoms are all now needed if NZ is to see the end of the HIV epidemic, according to the NZ AIDS Foundation. "Condoms have kept HIV at very low levels in New Zealand and they remain key to prevention," said the NZAF's Executive Director. Shaun Robinson, yesterday, "yet they have not been enough to stop the epidemic." Although the NZAF initially resisted reliance on drug-based prevention approaches such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), fearing they could undermine gay and bi men's high level of condom use, it has in recent years cautiously embraced the techniques. "Better medication and testing give us additional ways to stop infections," Robinson says. "The majority of people living with the virus will reach an undetectable viral load when on treatment and this dramatically reduces their chance of passing on HIV," he noted last evening." "If we can diagnose the 600 people who have the virus but don't know it, and we can offer these people immediate treatment then this will cut new infections considerably. If we add PrEP to the equation then we could get everything working towards an end to the epidemic within ten years." Robinson's optimism comes as it is believed the latest available HIV annual diagnosis figures, for 2015 and due out any day now, are tipped to show yet another a slight increase.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 16th May 2016 - 10:23am