The Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference was launched in 1989 in response to the emerging area of clinical care for HIV. Since its inception as a small meeting of medical practitioners brought together under the umbrella of ASAP (the Australian Society of AIDS Physicians) the HIV&AIDS Conference has grown into the region’s premier medical/scientific conference in the HIV and related diseases sector, attracting speakers and delegates from around the world.
The Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference is the flagship conference of ASHM, the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine. The conference is a major component of ASHM’s contribution to education and information dissemination for health professionals working in the HIV, viral hepatitis and related diseases sector.
Delegates to the conference come from a range of professional backgrounds including basic science, clinical medicine, community programs, education, epidemiology, indigenous health, international and regional issues, nursing and allied health, policy, primary care, public health and prevention, and social research.
Since 2005 the Conference has been held back-to-back with the Australasian Sexual Health Conference with one full day of overlap, providing a unique opportunity to look at HIV in the broader context of sexual health. Together, the conferences attract more than 1000 delegates from across the region.
The annual conference is run by ASHM as a platform for the dissemination and presentation of new and innovative research findings across the Australasian HIV sector. Through this forum the key objectives of the Annual Australasian HIV & AIDS Conferences are to fulfill the national and global strategies including eradication of HIV and related conditions in Australia and the Asia and Pacific regions. Specifically how the conference attempts to address this in fostering:
- Excellence in research and clinical care of HIV and related conditions
- Development and assessment of initiatives and protocols for the management of HIV and related conditions
- Professional development through participation of new and early career physicians, scientists, allied health and community
- Dialogue between disciplines (clinical, social sciences, epidemiology and community) across different locations
- Dialogue and collaboration between regional and Australasian researches, community organisations, professional organisations and other institutions
About ASHM
ASHM is a peak organisation of health professionals in Australia and New Zealand who work in HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections (STIs). ASHM draws on its experience and expertise to support the health workforce and to contribute to the sector, domestically and internationally. ASHM is a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct and is committed to the principles of the Ottawa Charter and the Jakarta Declaration.
ASHM is a signatory to the Code of Conduct for Australian aid and development agencies, which is administered by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).
Roll of Honour
For the 2009 conference the Roll of Honour was introduced as a new way of recognising the achievements of colleagues who have retired or reduced their involvement in the field of HIV in recent years. The Roll of Honour includes those who have had Memorial Sessions named were after them in previous conferences, ensuring we honour the memory of those people who have contributed greatly to the sector.
The full list of individuals on the Roll of Honour is available here.
