HIV Foundation Queensland to close down this year

The HIV Foundation in Queensland Australia will not be funded past June this year, it has been announced.

Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick announced today that the HIV Foundation Queensland, founded four years ago, will cease to be funded after June.

The organisation’s chair Dr Darren Russell said it had worked tirelessly to implement an HIV strategy in Queensland.

He told the Star Observer: “At this stage of the HIV response, what is required is effective implementation like we have now.

“It remains to be seen just how this is going to happen after June.”

HIV Foundation Queensland was created in 2013 by the Newman Government.

After it closes, Dick announced, it will be replaced by a sexual health ministerial advisory committee.

Formerly the Queensland AIDS Council, Healthy Communities was defunded four years ago when the HIV Foundation Queensland was created.

At the time, Paul Martin, the executive director of Healthy Communities criticised the government for defunding the organisation.

“Healthy Communities was only funded to provide HIV, STI and hepatitis C prevention to gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men, with a range of other non-government organisations funded separately to work with other at-risk communities and Queensland Health charged with general community awareness,” he said.

“Will the Minister guarantee that all funds will in future only be used on gay men’s HIV prevention?”

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