VACCHO’s sexual health / blood borne virus (BBV) program has been funded through the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH) since 1996. The main aim of the sexual health / BBV program is to support VACCHO member organisations to provide up-to-date sexual health / BBV care through the provision of advocacy, training, support and health promotion services.
The Sexual Health team has been instrumental in maintaining a voice for Indigenous sexual health in Victoria. In response to the “National Indigenous Australian’s Sexual Health Strategy 1996 -1997 to 1998 -1999”, VACCHO formed a working partnership with the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) to develop the Well Person’s Health Check. From this partnership VACCHO has formed other strong partnerships with the Hepatitis C Council, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS, LaTrobe University), Marie Stopes International Australia, VIVAIDS, Victorian AIDS council and the Department of Justice. These partnerships have seen VACCHO involved in many successful initiatives. Such initiatives include the Snake condom social marketing campaign with Marie Stopes International Australia, The Victorian Indigenous Blood Borne Virus / Injecting Drug use training project with the Hepatitis C council and the Ilbijerri theatre production of “Chopped Liver” to new a few.
Other aspects of the sexual health program include:
- Production of Koori specific pamphlets on various sexually transmitted infections and blood borne viruses.
- Training workshops on sexual health for health workers
- Sexual health information sessions upon request to communities
- State-wide distribution of condoms, along with health promotion posters and pamphlets
- Production of the Sexual Health Awareness Kit, a training tool for health workers
- Support for OUTBLACK gay male indigenous support group
VACCHO’s Sexual Health Team works in partnership with the following organisations, for more information on these organisations please follow the links:
Sexually transmitted infections are present in the Victorian population.
The 2006 statistics taken from Communicable Disease Control – Public Health Branch, Department of Human Services (2007) show that 5.3% of all newly diagnosed Hepatitis C and 3.8% of syphilis infections within Victoria notified as affecting Indigenous people. The Well Person’s Health Check (WPHC conducted between 1999 and 2002) provided a snap shot of the sexual health status of Indigenous Victorians, results showed a 5% prevalence of Chlamydia, Trichomoniasis was 4.1% and Hepatitis C was 13.3% of all those tested for this virus (only 38.3% of all participants in the WPHC were tested for Hepatitis C).
VACCHO, in response to these rates of infections and in conjunction with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Strategy 2005 – 2005 is working towards increasing awareness and support for our health services to provide testing, treatment, health promotion and support for sexually transmitted infections.
For information regarding sexually transmitted infections, alcohol and other drugs follow the following links:
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