Despite having excellent medical facilities
and specialist HIV Centers the reality is that HIV is still steadily increasing
in Australia. One contributing factor to
this could be the HIV infection rate amongst sex workers in a holiday
destinations frequented by Australians.
One sex worker in Bali says “When she goes back to their hotel, many
refuse to use a condom. And she never tells them she is HIV positive. It's bad for
business.”
She is 27 and pretty and of course the men
that she refers to are at considerable risk from HIV infection. It is a further concern to think that these
men return to Australia with the HIV virus and carry on with their sexual
behaviour without knowing their HIV status.
Many will not be tested for HIV and Australia as they find a visiting a
medical centre and discussing their sexual practices were staff to be
inconvenient and embarrassing. One
option that may help in this situation is the use of self testing for HIV using
HIV home testing kits. However has the virus can take several months
in some cases to be detectable distal places the Australian public at greater
risk from these individuals. Many
individuals in the steady relationships will be unable to explain why they must
use protection during sex by the regular partner and regrettably some will then
go on to an effect that a partner.
Ideally of course these individuals would not
participate in unprotected sex with sex workers or with any partner with him
unknown HIV status. However the reality
is that they do and has a result to best protect the Australian public it is
clear that we need a variety of testing methods that are convenient and
accessible to all individuals and as the at specific needs.
