Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health
Summary
The HIV Action Plan aims to eliminate both local human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and deaths due to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and ensure people living with HIV have healthy lives free from stigma and discrimination.
The Action Plan sets out a roadmap to achieve this vision by 2030 and is aligned with global targets set by UNAIDS. The action plan has five goals:
- Reduce the number of new and locally acquired HIV infections
- improve Māori health and wellbeing in relation to HIV by delivering on our Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations
- decrease mortality and negative consequences of HIV on health and wellbeing
- decrease experiences of stigma and discrimination for people living with HIV
- increase equity in relation to all HIV goals and objectives.
Priority groups include people living with HIV; gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men; Māori at risk of and living with HIV; sex workers; people who inject drugs, people who have migrated from high HIV prevalence countries; transgender and non-binary people. These priority groups are not fixed over time and may change following a future review of the epidemiology and plan.
Priority settings include primary health care, community-led HIV health promotion, services and outreach, prisons, Kaupapa Māori services and specialised healthcare.
The Action Plan has four focus areas:
- Surveillance, information and knowledge systems
- combination prevention and health promotion
- testing and linkage to care
- support for people living with HIV, including addressing stigma and discrimination.
With the health system reforms, all commissioning is now to be undertaken by Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand and Te Aka Whai Ora | the Māori Health Authority. These entities will be responsible for delivery of the Action Plan and will be supported by Manatū Hauora and the Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui.
