Australia boosts HIV research sponsorship
30/06/2008
The government of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has pledged AUD$20 million (£10 million) towards a new HIV research centre in Sydney.
The AUD$120 million state-of-the-art facility will bring together 300 of the nation's top scientists in an effort to develop new and improved approaches for managing and combating the virus.
"NSW researchers are at the forefront of work in HIV treatment, prevention and vaccination," the Australian Associated Press quoted NSW premier Morris Iemma as saying.
"This investment will expand the international role of our state's researchers in both the prevention of HIV and their role in emerging public health issues, such as prevention of hepatitis C."
However, rather than solely providing services to the approximately 16,000 Australians who live with HIV/Aids, the new National Institute for Virology will also contribute heavily to the global struggle against the disease.
An estimated 33.2 million people around the world are currently infected with HIV - and while prevalence rates are falling in some countries, the overall number continues to rise annually.
Humanitarian agencies attribute that trend at least partly to enhanced antiretroviral treatments which prolong the lives of sufferers, but they say more needs to be done if the pandemic is ever to be brought under control.
The financial sponsorship package for the new HIV facility also comes alongside an announcement by the NSW government that it is preparing to appoint a new chief scientist and scientific engineer.
Unveiling the role, science and medical research minister Verity Firth said the appointee will be "a champion for the excellent science undertaken in NSW".
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