Priority Populations and Vulnerability - content developed by ASHM Taskforce, supported by NSW Health
| Friday, November 20, 2020 |
| 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM |
Overview
This session will focus on the shared and unique challenges in COVID-19 era for several different population groups and communities including gay and bisexual men; PWUD; people who are homeless; CALD populations; people who are incarcerated including young people. This session will examine what factors may make these populations more vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic and address issues related to supporting harm minimisation during COVID-19 (e.g. HIV testing, PrEP and sexual networking for gay and bisexual men); adaptations to services for PWUD and homeless populations; appropriate engagement with and support of CALD populations; decarceration of prisoners including juveniles. . This session will include the impact of cross-cutting issues – financial stress, accommodation and well-being.
Details
Learning Objectives:
Identify specific population groups particularly impacted during COVID-19 pandemic
Suggest future harm minimisation strategies for each group identified
Identify resources, services and organisations to support harm minimisation in the identified population groups throughout the ongoing pandemic
Speaker
Mrs Zhihong Gu
Program Manager
Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland
Panellist
Biography
Zhihong Gu is the program manager for the HIV, Hepatitis and Sexual Health Program at Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland. She has been in this role for about 14 years working with a range of culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Queensland.
Ms Melanie Walker
TBA
Panellist
Biography
Melanie Walker is CEO of the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League. She is also a board member of the Australian Alcohol and Other Drugs Council and the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs and a member of the National Blood Borne Virus and Sexually Transmissible Infections Standing Committee.
Mr Chris Williams
Project Lead — Emen8 (Thorne Harbour Health) / Co-founder (PrEP’D For Change)
Thorne Harbour Health & PrEP’d For Change
Panellist
Biography
Chris is the Project Lead for Emen8 — a partnership between Thorne Harbour Health and ACON promoting HIV and sexual health education nationally to MSM in digital environments. He is also a long-term PrEP user and co-founder of "PrEP'D For Change" — Australia's largest online PrEP support community.
Dr Christopher Lemoh
Adjunct Senior Lecturer
Monash University
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations
Biography
Chris Lemoh (MBBS, University of Tasmania) is an infectious diseases and general physician at Monash Health. He holds a PhD from The University of Melbourne. Chris is a former member of the Board of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations and current President of the Victorian African Health Action Network.
Prof Mark Stoove
Discipline Head
Burnet Institute
Prisoners and those in juvenile justice detention
Biography
Professor Mark Stoové is Head of the Public Health Discipline and a co-Head of the HIV Elimination Program at Burnet Institute. He has researched the transmission and impact of sexually transmitted and blood borne viruses among key risk populations for almost 20 years. His research program undertakes sexually transmitted and blood borne virus surveillance nationally and within specific jurisdictions across Australia. He also specialises in behavioural epidemiology, data linkage, and implementation science projects focused on reducing the transmission and burden of infectious diseases. His projects include bio-behavioural cohort studies of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and people who inject drugs.
Associate Professor Garrett Prestage
Associate Professor
Kirby Institute
The impact of COVID-19 on sexual behaviour, social connectedness, and mental health among gay and bisexual men
Biography
A/Professor Garrett Prestage has been involved in gay community research and advocacy since the 1970s. He has investigated HIV behavioural risk through multiple studies of gay men’s sexual health, since the 1980s. He has strong relationships with gay community-based organisations and his work informs policy and programmatic responses.
A/Prof Vincent Cornelisse
Staff Specialist
NSW Health
People who use drugs and the homeless
Biography
Vincent Cornelisse is a staff specialist in sexual health medicine at Kirketon Road Centre in Kings Cross, Sydney. In 2018 he completed his PhD at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (Monash University), titled "Epidemiology of gonorrhoea, chlamydia and HIV in men who have sex with men, and evaluation of new prevention strategies".
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
Biography
Co-chair
Jen Johnson
Living Positive Victoria
Edwina Wright
Associate Professor
Alfred Health, Monash University
Speaker
Carolyn Cafe
Correctional Officer 1st Class
Goulburn Correctional Complex, NSW Department of Justice
Vincent Cornelisse
Staff Specialist
NSW Health
Zhihong Gu
Program Manager
Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland
Christopher Lemoh
Adjunct Senior Lecturer
Monash University
Garrett Prestage
Associate Professor
Kirby Institute
Mark Stoove
Discipline Head
Burnet Institute
Melanie Walker
TBA
Chris Williams
Project Lead — Emen8 (Thorne Harbour Health) / Co-founder (PrEP’D For Change)
Thorne Harbour Health & PrEP’d For Change
Support Staff
Brooke McClune
Touchpoint
Linda Starke
Event Coordinator
ASHM
