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.