Thu 28 Oct 2010 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Body Positive's premises in Auckland First reaction to the report and recommendations of the much-awaited HIV Services Review is up-beat, with the country's largest HIV Positive people's peer support group saying it contains "practical and sensible advice." In a closed door session early this afternoon the report was shown only to those the Ministry of Health defines as stakeholders in HIV prevention and support. The document, compiled early this year by Dr David Miller and which has had a slow progress through the Ministry, has been embargoed until next Thursday, with all those shown it today sworn to silence. Although he could not reveal its contents, Bruce Kilmister of Body Positive Auckland says his organisation is "delighted" with the report's observations and recommendations. "It contains plenty of practical and sensible advice," he says. "This is the first time that I have felt our work has been recognised by the Ministry or by the NZ AIDS Foundation... it gives us great confidence for the future." Kilmister revealed this afternoon that cash-strapped Body Positive, which primarily supports and advocates for gay and bi men with HIV, has for some time been in negotiation with the Ministry regarding securing some public funding for its work. Until now it has had to rely on donations and charitable trust grants. "Dr. Miller's report recognises that we are underfunded and that we should be funded," he says. The other major glbt-focused organisation likely to be affected by the contents of the report, the NZ AIDS Foundation, says that it is unable to comment yet due to the week-long Ministry embargo on the report. You can discuss this New Zealand glbt community news story in the GayNZ.com Forum
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 28th October 2010 - 5:30pm