HIV impacts people regardless of race, sexuality, or gender. With ¼ of people in Australia with at least one parent born overseas, or from other countries themselves – our communities are diverse. In Victoria, HIV impacts the lives of people from all cultures, and so providing information and services tailored to individual cultural and linguistic needs is vital. 

Michael talks to Jimmy Yu-Hsiang Chen, Networks Project Officer at NAPWHA – the national association for PLHIV. Jimmy previously led  ‘Community Conversations’ aimed to better understand the experiences and needs of Asian men living with HIV who were born overseas in East or South-East Asia Jimmy joins us now to discuss PANA—The Positive Asian Network Australia for all people with an Asian background who are living with HIV in Australia. 

Positive Asian Network Australia (PANA)

Positive Latinx Australian Network (PLAN)

Free HIV medication for people without Medicare

Free HIV self test kits

Recently, Victoria has seen a couple of new cases of Mpox appear in community. Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox) is a viral infection. It can result in symptoms like fever, headache, muscle aches, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes (similar to COVID or the flu) before progressing to a skin rash or lesions. A vaccination program began in 2022, with many in our community at risk for Mpox taking up vaccination to get protected. If you have have only had one shot, are looking to get your first, or want to learn more about Mpox – head to thorneharbour.org/mpox

* This episode originally aired Thursday, May 2 2024 on JOY *

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health & wellbeing.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at [email protected]

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria at Thorne Harbour Health and in South Australia at SAMESH.

This episode was recorded on the lands of the Yalukut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung peoples. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging, and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.