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🇦🇺 Australia /Health & Science

'I live with the scars': Why the fight against HIV is not over

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Australia is nearing the virtual elimination of HIV transmission, a goal considered remarkable given the global resurgence fears of the epidemic.
  • Despite progress, experts warn that complacency could put Australia's achievements at risk, as the fight against HIV is not over.
  • Individuals living with HIV and their support communities have battled decades of stigma, exemplified by the harmful 1987 Grim Reaper advertisement, to reach this critical point.

Stephen Borg remembers the stark warning he received after his HIV diagnosis in 2007: "I was told this is a diagnosis that perhaps someone cannot love you for." This sentiment, he reflects, "sat quite heavily" with him, highlighting the enduring stigma that often accompanies an HIV diagnosis, a stark contrast to the more open support typically offered to those with conditions like diabetes.

I was told this is a diagnosis that perhaps someone cannot love you for.

— Stephen BorgStephen Borg reflects on the stigma associated with an HIV diagnosis.

As global attention shifts to other health crises, a dedicated community in Australia has been fighting tirelessly against HIV. Forty-five years after the first diagnosed case and with over 40 million lives lost worldwide, Australia stands on the brink of virtually eliminating HIV transmission. This achievement, once unimaginable, is now within reach, yet experts caution that the battle is far from won.

That really sat quite heavily with me.

— Stephen BorgStephen Borg describes the emotional impact of the warning he received after his HIV diagnosis.

The United Nations recently issued a concerning warning about a global resurgence of the epidemic, raising fears that Australia's progress could be jeopardized. Dash Heath-Paynter, CEO of Health Equity Matters, the national federation for Australia's leading HIV organizations, stated, "Australia is on the precipice of achieving something that to the generation before us was incomprehensible." He stressed that reaching the finish line requires more than a "business-as-usual approach."

If someone was diagnosed with diabetes, you might get flowers or people coming to you with open arms. That's not often the case with an HIV diagnosis.

— Stephen BorgStephen Borg contrasts the societal reaction to HIV diagnoses with that of other illnesses.

The legacy of stigma is deeply rooted, partly fueled by campaigns like the infamous 1987 Grim Reaper advertisement. David Menadue, one of the first Australians diagnosed with HIV in 1984, recalled the ad's terrifying impact: "It scared people into thinking, what am I looking at? Am I looking at a ghost or are these people like this?" This fear led to significant stigmatization. In response, Menadue and others formed support groups, meeting in homes from 1986 to 1993, finding crucial reassurance and connection in shared experiences during a difficult period.

Australia is on the precipice of achieving something that to the generation before us was incomprehensible.

— Dash Heath-PaynterDash Heath-Paynter, CEO of Health Equity Matters, comments on Australia's progress toward HIV transmission elimination.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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