National Day of Women living with HIV

Abigail spoke about the disproportionate barriers that women living with HIV face compared to men, in regards to medical settings as well as in the community.

Abigail said:

(1) That this House notes that:

(a) Wednesday 9 March 9 2022 was the National Day of Women Living with HIV; and

(b) this year's theme "Living Well" aims to raise awareness about the day-to-day lives of women diagnosed with HIV as they continue to face disproportionate barriers compared to men in relation to HIV medical research, testing, diagnosis and treatment.

(2) That this House notes that, according to the National Association of People with HIV Australia [NAPWHA]:

(a) women make up about 10 per cent of people living with HIV in Australia;

(b) women living with HIV face HIV-related stigma in medical settings, with limited awareness among general practitioners about the exposure of women to HIV, leading to later diagnosis and treatment commencement rates, and higher misdiagnosis rates for women compared with men;

(c) women living with HIV face HIV-related stigma in local communities, further exacerbated by equity and accessibility issues, domestic and family violence, and lack of awareness on HIV treatment and transmission; and

(d) there is a lack of research on the implications of long-term HIV-positive living and antiretroviral treatments on the female body with regards to reproductive health, including menstruation, contraception, pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, and HPV-related cancers and breast cancers.

(3) That this House calls on the New South Wales Government to commit to better supporting women living with HIV by raising awareness through medical staff training and community programs about the importance of early HIV testing and treatment.

 

You can find the full transcript on Hansard, here.

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