Australian government invests $29.1m in HIV response

Part of the investment includes $17.2m (A$26m) funding for subsidised access to PrEP medication.

Australia has announced a $29.1m (A$43.9m) investment as part of the initiative to eliminate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission by 2030.

This investment is set to fund a range of measures aligned with the recommendations of the National HIV Taskforce.

These measures aim for better prevention, access to testing and information, reduced stigma, and health and support workforce training.

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“We can now put in place programmes and initiatives that can realistically lead to the elimination of transmission of HIV within the Australian community by 2030,” Health and Aged Care Minister, Mark Butler, said. 

The investment also includes a $17.2m (A$26m) funding of over two years for subsidised pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) HIV prevention medication for Australians without access to Medicare.

Meanwhile, $2.5m (A$3.8m) will be allocated for the national implementation of the HIV testing vending machine initiative until 2025.

A$1 = $0.66