International Health Services

International Health Services | The ASC Model | Development Experience | Selected Current & Recent Projects | International Training Programs & Projects

The International Health Services Unit of the Albion Street Centre was established to coordinate the centre's expanding program of international activities. The Unit facilitates the centre's international work in promoting the comprehensive care of people with HIV and other blood borne viruses.

Vision

Working together through global partnerships to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS by the promotion and delivery of multidisciplinary treatment, care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS in developing countries.

Download the IHS Strategic Plan 2008-2012

Overview

The Albion Street Centre works with international partners ranging from non government and community based organisations through to multilateral agencies such as the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme and the World Bank. The International Health Unit supports the centre in its collaboration with its international partners and coordinates a broad range of activities focussed on improving care for people with HIV and other blood borne viruses.

The Albion Street Centre has over 20 years experience in providing comprehensive management of HIV disease in Australia. Our Australian experience has been the foundation for our international partnerships. From that foundation we continue to work closely with our partners to develop sustainable projects and programs.

Much of the Centre’s international work is framed within the terms of reference for its work as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Capacity Building and Health Care Worker Training in HIV/AIDS Care, Treatment and Support. This includes providing support nationally and internationally for the development and promotion of mechanisms to improve care for people with HIV/AIDS.

“The global HIV/AIDS epidemic is recognised by the United Nations as a global emergency and one of the most formidable challenges to human life and dignity, undermining social and economic development throughout the world.” UNAIDS 2007

The Global Context

The estimated number of persons living with HIV worldwide in 2007 is 33.2 million.

The United Nations estimates that every day over 6800 people become infected with HIV and over 5700 die, mostly because of inadequate access to HIV prevention and treatment services.

The HIV pandemic remains the most serious of infectious diseases challenges to public health. The epicentre of the epidemic remains sub-Saharan Africa where there are over 22 million people living with HIV.

In Asia, national HIV prevalence is highest in South-East Asia, with wide variation in epidemic trends between different countries. While the epidemics in Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand all show declines in HIV prevalence, those in Indonesia (especially in the Papua province) and Viet Nam are growing.

“Although the proportion of people living with HIV in India is lower than previously estimated, its epidemic continues to affect large numbers of people. Overall in Asia, an estimated 4.9 million people were living with HIV in 2007, including the 440 000 people who became newly infected in the past year. Approximately 300 000 died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2007.

The global HIV/AIDS epidemic is recognised by the United Nations as a global emergency and one of the most formidable challenges to human life and dignity, undermining social and economic development throughout the world.

Based on current trends, the United Nations predicts that by 2010 China will have 10 million or more people living with HIV/AIDS. The direct relationship between HIV and poverty means the impact on the region will be far-reaching. HIV/AIDS impoverishes individuals, households and communities, and these adverse conditions in turn increase the vulnerability of people and communities to the disease.” UNAIDS 2007

A number of factors are playing a significant role in the spread of HIV in Asia and are likely to continue. These include:

• injecting drug use and sharing injecting equipment
• sex work
• inadequate access to information and effective education programs
• inadequate access to condoms
• gender relations
• migration
• population mobility

Access to adequate treatment, care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS in many developing countries needs to be a priority, not only in terms of saving lives and reducing suffering, but also in limiting the future impact on poverty reduction efforts.

Sources: UNAIDS and UNDP

Albion Street Centre
150 - 154 Albion Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 Australia
Telephone: +61 2 9332 9600 Fax: +61 2 9331 3490