AIDS Foundation Research Director Tony Hughes says he's surprised and pleased to be one of this year's recipients of a Queen's Service Medal, and says it is as much a recognition of the gay community as himself. "The programme of HIV prevention work amongst gay men, which has been the main focus of the work that I've been involved in over the time I've been here, has been successful," he says. "Back through the ten year period between 1989-99 the numbers of new infections dropped down to a dramatically low level, and that's the result of the gay community taking up the condom message and avoiding HIV transmission." Hughes says he's pleased that the work of the AIDS Foundation has been recognised in this way. "There's been a lot of work over the years that a lot of people have put it on all of this," he says, "and my part is only a small part in that." 2006 will be a big year for Hughes, with two AIDS Foundation research projects. The third Gay Auckland Periodic Sex Survey (GAPSS), which looks at MSM sexual behaviour, will be launched. Second up will be HIV Futures, which is conducted in conjunction with LaTrobe University in Melbourne. This study, last conducted five years ago, examines the social and health experiences of people with HIV.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Wednesday, 25th January 2006 - 12:00pm