The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) was thrilled to have been invited to take part in a two-week Queensland, Australia, HIV Treatment as Prevention (TasP®) Roadshow, organized by the HIV Foundation Queensland (HIVFQ).

Since signing a memorandum of understanding with the BC-CfE and formally adopting the TasP strategy in 2014, Queensland has worked diligently to improve education and engagement with health professionals and the community for timely access to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART).

The TasP Roadshow traveled to eight different locations across Queensland between July 25 and August 4, 2016, in a series of accredited meetings with a broad range of health professionals and Hospital and Health Services (HHS) executive teams and community representatives. This platform provided a unique opportunity for the HIVFQ and the BC-CfE to provide updates on state, national and international policy, program and clinical developments in the rapidly evolving landscape of HIV TasP®. Key discussion points included increased testing, early engagement and sustainment in care, treatment, postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and development of communication strategies.

Key BC-CfE speakers included Dr. Rolando Barrios, Assistant Director; Irene Day, Director of Operations; Glen Bradford, Peer Navigation and Prison Outreach Programs, Positive Living British Columbia; Prof. James Ward, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute; Dr. Andrew Redmond, Infectious Disease Physician, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital; and Simon Doyle Adams, Queensland PrEP Demonstration Project Coordinator, Cairns Sexual Health Clinic.

Dr. Darren Russell, Chairperson of the HIV Foundation Queensland, and Dr. Barrios discussed the TasP Roadshow.

HIV TasP Roadshow Objectives:

• Raise awareness of HIV TasP® strategies (early treatment, PrEP, and PEP) and the links with the UN 90-90-90 Targets, thereby reducing the number of new infections.
• Promote “test and early treatment” strategies to improve health outcomes of persons living with HIV (PLHIV) and improve their engagement and sustainment in care.
• Work closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to increase HIV testing, treatment and sustainment in care.
• Raise awareness of the role of peer navigation models to support early treatment and ongoing adherence for newly diagnosed PLHIV and those re-engaging in care.
• Raise awareness of the Queensland Positive People (QPP) Life+ Program and peer navigation program.
• Increase knowledge of QPrEPd (expansion of the current Queensland PrEP Demonstration Project).
• Promotion of TasP® strategies, with a focus on PrEP, within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• Increase awareness of ASHM Queensland (Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine) workforce development program activities.
• Increase political and HHS support for the TasP® strategies.