Australia: State Seeks Funding to Tackle STDs

The Queensland government says more federal money is needed to fight sexually transmitted diseases. New figures show the state recorded 150 new HIV cases last year, a 55 percent increase since 2001. Most cases were homosexual men. Government-funded agencies currently provide treatment and support for 1,556 Queenslanders with HIV/AIDS.

Chlamydia remains the most common STD, with diagnoses increasing from 155 in 100,000 people five years ago, to 245 per 100,000. Two out of three cases occurred in people ages 15-24.

Gonorrhea rates have risen from 31 per 100,000 to 36 per 100,000 between 2004 and 2005. The syphilis rate among Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders was 19 times higher than in the non-indigenous population.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson said, "It may well be that people are getting complacent with the safe sex message and that's why we need to reinforce it and refresh it," he said, adding that a new education campaign would begin near the end of this year.

Although Queensland launched a comprehensive six-year STD strategy last year, Robertson said more help is needed from federal authorities. "This is clearly a national problem which requires national attention," he said. "It has been at least five years since the federal government put in any extra funding for HIV prevention."

Robertson said Queensland's state government sponsors a range of programs including health clinics, education, training, and research, worth about $50 million Australian ($38.5 million US) a year. He noted he had written to his federal counterpart Tony Abbott about putting more funding into HIV prevention activities and addressing the issue at the next national health ministers' meeting in December.

Back to other news for October 30, 2006