ASHM Secures Queensland Contract

SYDNEY - Dec. 3, 2015 - PRLog -- The Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM) has been awarded a $1.35 million contract to deliver workforce development programs in Queensland targeting Blood Borne Viruses (including HIV and hepatitis B and C) and Sexually Transmissible Infections, over 18 months.

“The work that organisations like yours undertake makes a tremendous difference to the lives of Queenslanders living with complex health needs,” said Queensland Health Minister, Cameron Dick.

The workforce development programs will seek to provide HIV, viral hepatitis and sexual health and harm reduction training programs. These programs will be appropriate for clinicians, health service providers, NGO staff, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals throughout Queensland.  ASHM will partner with Hepatitis Queensland to deliver education to correctional facilities staff.

The programs will include:

•  Education, training and care delivery to enhance the clinical workforce capacity in relation to hepatitis B and hepatitis C treatment;

•  Implementing a hepatitis B s100 community prescriber program;

•  Continuation of the HIV s100 community prescriber program;

•  Training for clinical staff to support people accessing PEP;

•  Supporting STI education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sexual Health Workers; and

•  Delivering an NSP train-the-trainer annual workshop.

ASHM will continue to work in close collaboration with Hepatitis Queensland and other sector partners throughout Queensland in order to deliver these programs.

In Parliament on World AIDS Day, the Queensland Government Department of Health made the announcement of $8 million of funding for the sector. Other beneficiaries of this funding for BBV&STI Prevention, Testing, Treatment and Management include Queensland AIDS Council; Queensland Positive People; the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland; Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Council; and Hepatitis Queensland.