US embassy cable - 04WELLINGTON1010

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 001010 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/ANP 
STATE FOR USAID FOR GH/HIV-AIDS 
STATE FOR S/GAC, OES, OES/PCI, OES/IHA 
CDC FOR GLOBAL AIDS PROGRAM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI, TBIO, PGOV, EAID, NZ 
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND AIDS CASES MINIMAL, BUT CONCERN 
INCREASING OVER COMPLACENCY TOWARDS TRANSMISSION 
 
 
 1. (U)  While the number of people infected with HIV/AIDS in 
New Zealand remains relatively small, the numbers have risen 
sharply in the past two years, with homosexual cases (53%) 
outnumbering heterosexual (21%) modes of transmission.  NZ 
Aids Foundation executive director Rachael Le Mesurier 
posited that this could be due to complacency and 
misinformation.  She noted that myths surrounding the use of 
HIV antri-retroviral drugs had led some in the homosexual 
community to stop using adequate protection.  Among 
heterosexual cases, the majority of the increase of HIV in 
2003/2004 is attributable to cases diagnosed initially 
outside of New Zealand. 
 
HIV/AIDS By the Numbers 
------------------------ 
 
2. (U) News reports on the morning of World AIDS Day stated 
that 819 cases of AIDS have been reported in New Zealand, and 
2,153 cases of HIV since 1985, when record keeping began. 
This represents 0.07 percent of NZ's total population, less 
than one fifth of the proportional US rate of infection.  In 
2003, 154 people were diagnosed with HIV or AIDS, and in the 
nine months to September 2004 a further 108 were diagnosed 
with HIV or AIDS.  Of the 2004 numbers, one quarter were 
women or children.  European men account for 49% of all 
cases, and "other" ethnicities, which would include large 
refugee populations, account for the next largest group 
(33%). 
 
International AIDS Efforts 
--------------------------- 
 
3. (U) In July, Minister for Aid/Development Marian Hobbs 
defended New Zealand in the wake of criticism by NGO World 
Vision that the GoNZ was not providing sufficient 
international support, noting that New Zealand has "committed 
$6 million (US$4.2 million) to fight HIV/AIDS in the Pacific, 
and in May (2004) we contributed a further $3 million (US$2.1 
million) to international programmes such as UNAIDS and the 
Global Fund on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria."  In 
addition, NZAID maintains an Africa strategy that has 
HIV/AIDS as one of its three primary objectives, specifically 
providing support for affected communities.  Total 
contributions to the Africa HIV/AIDS strategy are around NZ$2 
million (US$1.4 million) for 2004/2005.  These combined 
contributions represent a little over 4 percent of NZ's total 
aid budget of NZ$260 million (US$182 million) for 2004. 
Swindells