HIV 'explosion' in Pacific top of agenda

The potential for HIV and Aids to explode in the Pacific will be the main talking point at the first Pacific conference on the disease in Auckland next week.

The Pan Pacific Regional HIV-Aids conference has attracted about 500 attendees, said New Zealand Aids Foundation spokesman Steve Attwood, showing a high level of concern about the disease.

"The HIV-Aids situation in the Pacific Island nations has been basically described as a gathering storm off-shore," said Mr Attwood.

"It is the right at the cusp of being the next South Africa unless Government and community action is mobilised."

With the high degree of interaction between New Zealand and Pacific nations in social, tourist, family and business activities, a large outbreak of HIV in Pacific communities would have a big impact on New Zealand.

He said prevention was "light years cheaper" than treatment programmes.

"There is huge goodwill out there. Pacific leaders have already signalled they are concerned about this so we are starting to see an end to the head in the sand issue."

The Auckland conference provided "a unique opportunity for Pacific nations to get together in their own neighbourhood".

He said New Zealand was facing a record year of HIV cases although the development of HIV into Aids was very low because of improving treatment and care.

"However, there is a big if. That [HIV treatment] can involve being on up to 30 pills a day. Some of the pills have very, very nasty side-effects.

"To maintain a near-normal life and a near-normal quality of life on the pills, you need just about 100 per cent compliance, which is very difficult. Otherwise resistance builds in very quickly."

He said some patients were developing a resistance to the drugs.

About 1350 people in New Zealand had HIV, Mr Attwood said.

- NZPA