Despite progress towards eliminating blood-borne viruses - such as HIV and viral hepatitis - in Australia, some communities remain more at risk than others.
According to the Kirby Institute, recent data shows the incidence of HIV and viral hepatitis is higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples than in non-Indigenous Australians.
Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV is passed by coming into contact with blood that has the virus.
If left untreated, the condition can lead to severe long-term health problems and can be fatal.
Professor James Ward is a Pitjantjatjar and Nukunu man and director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Queensland.
He says the treatments exist to reduce the impact of these health conditions on Indigenous Australians, but it has been challenging to ensure it reaches those who need it.
"For HIV, we've got about a one-point-three times the rate of notifications for HIV compared to the rest of the population. And for viral hepatitis, despite very good treatment available now for hepatitis C available on the PBS since 2016, we've got more hepatitis C in our population now than ever before, and at a rate three to five times greater than the non-Aboriginal population. We have all the science available to make big differences for HIV and for viral hepatitis, but we haven't yet implemented that at a local level that's been meaningful enough to change this disparity."
According to Professor Ward, there are three levels of community health support for treatment of viral hepatitis and HIV.
There's the prevention arm; the testing and treatment arm; and the aftercare and follow up arm.
Professor Ward says Indigenous communities are struggling to receive much needed support in all three areas.
"Prevention, we're not doing such a great job of preventing new cases of hepatitis C. We're doing a much better job with HIV in Australia. We're doing okay with hepatitis B, but still we're failing in the other areas. Like engagement in care, follow up, management of people living with hepatitis B, hepatitis C for cure, and HIV for really good health outcomes."
To address these health inequities, a new grants program has been launched by Gilead Sciences, the Lowitja Institute, and the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health.
The $4.4 million dollar program will target Indigenous-led organisations to address disparities that drive transmission of HIV and viral hepatitis.
Jaime McCoy is the general manager at Gilead Sciences for Australia and New Zealand, a research-based biopharmaceutical company.
She says health inequities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian communities are the result of colonisation.
"We know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are still experiencing significant inequities in access to prevention, treatment, care and health outcomes compared with non-Indigenous communities. And this is due to the continued impacts of colonisation in Australia. And that truly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-led and informed solutions are vital to making change here. Australia will not reach the UN targets for viral hepatitis and HIV unless there's significant investment and focus on these priority populations."
A proud Taungurung man from central Victoria, Paul Stewart is the deputy CEO at the Lowitja Institute, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled research organisation.
He says there are factors that make a person more at risk.
"There are certain population groups within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, and when I say population groups like young people, prison populations, people who inject drugs, and have unsafe sex. So we want to ensure that we are reaching those communities and that population - specific population group - so that we can help eliminate that but also look at the healthcare system and how that is helping."
According to Mr Stewart, more community-led research is critical to addressing the increasing rates of hepatitis and HIV caseloads in Australia.
He says when projects are community-driven, more community members are likely to engage and participate, which leads to more meaningful solutions.
"What we know is when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are in the driver's seat when conducting research, we get better outcomes. We know that the projects are culturally safe, they're self-determined, and they're more likely to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in research."
