Help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS by making prevention your business on WORLD AIDS DAY

Date   03 December 2007

With newly diagnosed HIV infections in Australia at their highest rate in seven years health professionals are urging all Australians to remember that prevention is everybody's business, on World AIDS Day, 1 December.

On World AIDS day Australians are being asked to raise awareness and show their support by attending a World AIDS day event and challenging discrimination and stigma. World AIDS day is a reminder that everyone can act to prevent HIV/AIDS.

Australia leads the way in HIV/AIDS prevention and everyone in the community can help by wearing a red ribbon or wrist band and checking out the website to attend events in their area.

FPNSW is a proud supporter of NSW Health World AIDS day with events occurring in each of the Family Planning Centres.

To find out what's happening for World AIDS day contact each centre on:

Dubbo: 02 68851544
Ashfield: 02 87524392
Fairfield: 02 9754 1322
Newcastle: 02 49294485
Warehouse Youth Health Service: 02 47218330
Illawarra: 02 42832877

Websites:
• National: http://www.worldaidsday.org.au
• NSW: http://www.worldaidsnsw.org.au
• Family Planning NSW: http://www.fpnsw.org.au

NSW Key Messages:

• More than 25 years on, HIV positive people are still experiencing stigma and discrimination in many aspects of their lives (ie -access to healthcare services, accommodation, insurance and the work environment)

• Talking about HIV/AIDS openly in the community will go some way to reducing this discrimination

• World AIDS Day raises awareness about HIV/AIDS and everyone can show their support by wearing a red ribbon or attending a World AIDS Day event

• By being informed, talking about HIV/AIDS and using condoms you can protect yourself and your partners from HIV/AIDS.

For further information

Contact   Patrick Duley - Senior Health Promotion Officer
Phone   02 87524326   
Email   patrickd@fpnsw.org.au
WWW   www.fpnsw.org.au