MHAHS - Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service

With the right information, people with HIV can live healthy lives, according to this year’s HIV Awareness Week campaign by the Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service (MHAHS).  The Live Healthy with HIV campaign encourages people from culturally and linguistically diverse background to access multilingual booklet, HIV. What you need to know to stay healthy.

Finding the right information at the right time is critical if people are to stay healthy and to support our global goal to eliminate AIDS by 2030, according to Barbara Luisi, Director of the Diversity Programs and Strategy Hub at Sydney Local Health District.

“Our booklet explains what it means to live with HIV as well as how people can protect themselves from HIV. The resource has up to date information on HIV test and treatment and a comprehensive list of care and support services to allay people’s concerns about living with HIV. It is a great resource to have and share.”

Developed by the MHAHS, the HIV. What you need to know booklet, is available in eight languages including English, Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese. The e-booklet can be downloaded here and free hard copies are available to order.

HIV remains a public health concern in Australia with an estimated 28,180 people living with HIV in Australia currently, according to the 2019 report by the Kirby Institute.

Nearly one in ten Australians living with HIV are unaware they have the virus and may be unknowingly passing on the virus to others. They also risk missing out on getting HIV treatments on time due to late diagnosis. A better understanding of HIV could avoid these risks.

A number of events are being organised across Australia to support the HIV awareness campaign. Diversity Hub is supporting the campaign by undertaking an ethnic media campaign across 8 languages as well as partnering with the local HARP unit to organise information stalls in the local area.

HIV is most commonly transmitted through unprotected sexual contact. Condoms and PrEP, where you take a tablet once a day, every day, remain two of most effective ways to prevent the transmission of HIV.

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