NEW ZEALAND AIDS CASES MINIMAL, BUT CONCERN

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 001010 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/ANP STATE FOR USAID FOR GH/HIV-AIDS STATE FOR S/GAC, OES, OES/PCI, OES/IHA CDC FOR GLOBAL AIDS PROGRAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SOCI TBIO PGOV EAID NZ SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND AIDS CASES MINIMAL, BUT CONCERN INCREASING OVER COMPLACENCY TOWARDS TRANSMISSION ¶1. (U) While the number of people infected with HIV/AIDS in New Zealand remains relatively small, the numbers have risen sharply in the past two years, with homosexual cases (53%) outnumbering heterosexual (21%) modes of transmission. NZ Aids Foundation executive director Rachael Le Mesurier posited that this could be due to complacency and misinformation. She noted that myths surrounding the use of HIV antri-retroviral drugs had led some in the homosexual community to stop using adequate protection. Among heterosexual cases, the majority of the increase of HIV in 2003/2004 is attributable to cases diagnosed initially outside of New Zealand. HIV/AIDS By the Numbers -------------- ¶2. (U) News reports on the morning of World AIDS Day stated that 819 cases of AIDS have been reported in New Zealand, and 2,153 cases of HIV since 1985, when record keeping began. This represents 0.07 percent of NZ's total population, less than one fifth of the proportional US rate of infection. In 2003, 154 people were diagnosed with HIV or AIDS, and in the nine months to September 2004 a further 108 were diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. Of the 2004 numbers, one quarter were women or children. European men account for 49% of all cases, and "other" ethnicities, which would include large refugee populations, account for the next largest group (33%). International AIDS Efforts -------------- ¶3. (U) In July, Minister for Aid/Development Marian Hobbs defended New Zealand in the wake of criticism by NGO World Vision that the GoNZ was not providing sufficient international support, noting that New Zealand has "committed $6 million (US$4.2 million) to fight HIV/AIDS in the Pacific, and in May (2004) we contributed a further $3 million (US$2.1 million) to international programmes such as UNAIDS and the Global Fund on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria." In addition, NZAID maintains an Africa strategy that has HIV/AIDS as one of its three primary objectives, specifically providing support for affected communities. Total contributions to the Africa HIV/AIDS strategy are around NZ$2 million (US$1.4 million) for 2004/2005. These combined contributions represent a little over 4 percent of NZ's total aid budget of NZ$260 million (US$182 million) for 2004. Swindells