North Queensland ‘HIV roundtable’ initiative
Police Liaison Officer Maj-Lis Dalton (left) & Acting Sergeant Karen Shannon of the QPS Cross Cultural Unit
The North Queensland HIV Roundtable event was held on Wednesday and Thursday at the Pullman Reef Hotel, which was attended by members of our Cross Cultural Unit.
Acting Sergeant Karen Shannon from the Cross Cultural Liaison Unit, said the Roundtable event was an opportunity for Cairns regional indigenous health services to meet with Epidemiologists concerned with the prevention and management of HIV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
“This event highlighted the need for individualised and localised responses from each indigenous health service,” said Acting Sergeant Shannon.
The Roundtable was convened in response to rising rates of HIV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in North Queensland and was attended by a range of stakeholders with expertise in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community engagement and clinical management of HIV.
The purpose of the Roundtable was to gather information to assist in the development of a Framework for the Prevention and Integrated Management of HIV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The initiative aims to maximise the health response for individuals with HIV and minimise the risk of further cases of HIV.
The Roundtable was chaired by Emeritus Professor Cindy Shannon – Sexual Health Ministerial Advisory Committee.
Source: Cairns Crime Alert
