Syphilis rates are on the rise across NSW, particularly among women of childbearing age and men who have sex with men. Concerningly, cases of congenital syphilis, which is entirely preventable through timely antenatal screening, are also increasing – especially within our multicultural communities where language or cultural barriers often delay crucial testing and treatment.

The NSW Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service (MHAHS) and South Western Sydney LHD have released a new series of multilingual factsheets to support community awareness about syphilis.

The campaign targets women of reproductive age and the general CALD community from 12 key language groups and encourages early syphilis testing and treatment. It also supports antenatal care providers and health professionals in raising awareness through culturally appropriate resources.

Hard copies of the factsheets are available to order online, and digital copies are downloadable via the STI Prevention Multilingual Toolkit along with other valuable resources.

Visit the MHAHS Facebook page to easily re-share social media posts on the factsheets and syphilis testing in pregnancy on your socials.

Get informed and help encourage early syphilis testing and treatment to support the health and wellbeing of families and communities.

To mark HIV Testing Week, Dr Rachael Thomas, Staff Specialist, South Western Sydney LHD, joined Clare Berrie, Senior Social Worker and Coordinator of the Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service (MHAHS) Clinical Concierge Program, in a new interview highlighting the importance of culturally safe HIV testing and care. 

Late HIV diagnosis is still a real concern in NSW, particularly in Greater Western Sydney where we are seeing a third of new cases. 

Dr. Thomas emphasises: “HIV is a manageable condition with safe and effective anti-retroviral medication. The earlier you are tested for the condition, the sooner you know your HIV status, which improves your long-term health outcomes by starting medication as soon as possible if you test positive.   

However, stigma and access are still the key barriers to testing and care, particularly for people born overseas. Many worry that testing or treatment might be expensive or not available to them. However, HIV testing is free for everyone, no matter your Medicare of visa status. There are lots of testing options, you can: 

• Order a HIV self-test via HIVtest.au or Dried Blood Spot test  

• Use a MyTest Vending Machine 

• Visit a sexual health clinic.  

Treatment is also free, and data shows starting treatment early makes a big difference. Dr Thomas adds, “We now know from the research and the data that actually starting people on antiretroviral therapy as soon as they're diagnosed leads to better outcomes long term”. 

If someone tests positive, it’s important they feel supported and understood, and have access to culturally appropriate care. The NSW Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service offers a free and confidential Clinical Concierge Program that connects people recently diagnosed with HIV from a CALD background with bilingual Cultural Support Workers. These trained staff help clients navigate the health system, improve treatment literacy, and access culturally appropriate care and support services. 

Clients can easily be referred to the HIV Clinical Concierge Program using the e-referral form or contact the Program Coordinator on 0436 850 905 to discuss if the program is right for your client. For more information about the program, view the Service Provider flyer. 

Listen to the full interview here: https://vimeo.com/1090310579/be63fb530a?ts=0&share=copy 

 

Hepatitis Awareness Week runs from 22-28 July, with World Hepatitis Day on 28 July. This year’s theme, ‘It’s time for action,’ focuses on liver health. Your liver performs over 500 vital functions, but hepatitis B and C can damage it, especially if undiagnosed and untreated.

In Australia, over 200,000 people live with chronic hepatitis B, many unaware they have the virus. Hepatitis B is preventable with a vaccine and manageable with regular checkups. The only way to know if you have hepatitis B is by getting tested.

‘Early diagnosis is essential. Many may not realise they have chronic hepatitis B until it's too late. Prompt testing and treatment are our best defences,’ says Kristen McKee, Hepatology Clinical Nurse Consultant at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Multilingual resources for you and your community

The Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service (MHAHS) campaign, ‘Are You Living with Hepatitis B? Find Out. Get Tested,’ targets communities with lower testing rates, including Chinese, Arabic, Korean, Samoan, Tongan, Vietnamese, and sub-Saharan African communities. The campaign offers free multilingual brochures, posters, and videos on the MHAHS website and in print.

‘Our goal is to enable communities to make informed health decisions. We encourage everyone to talk to their healthcare provider about hepatitis B testing,’ says Barbara Luisi, Director of MHAHS. Testing is free for Medicare cardholders. For those without a Medicare Card, contact NSW Health Sexual Health Clinics for free testing. All conversations with your doctor are confidential.

Act now. Get tested! Spread the word about hepatitis testing and treatment. Download the MHAHS multilingual Hepatitis Awareness Week 2024 toolkit with resources, messages, and social media tools to share.

For more information about the campaign, visit here. For general inquiries, call the Hepatitis NSW Infoline on 1800 803 990.