This presentation discusses the establishment, challenges and achievements of SAACHAC. Advisory committee members Dr Lillian Mwanri and Mabok Marial lead the discussion with PEACE Multicultural Service Manager Enaam Oudih at the nder the Baobab African Diaspora Networking Zone at the International AIDS Conference, AIDS 2014.

1. 'The South Australian African
Communities health advisory
Committee (SAACHAC) is making a
difference'
Dr Lillian Mwanri
Mabok Marial
Uduma Idika
Enaam Oudih

2. The Context
• People born outside of Australia and with cultural
backgrounds are overrepresented in new wave of HIV
DX
• Newly diagnosed – are changing the HIV face
– Not sex workers and intravenous drug users
– More Heterosexual transmission
– More overseas transmission
– Potentially face additional stigma and discrimination on the
basis of characteristics such as race, ethnicity and refugee
status
• The Kirby Institute http://www.kirby.unsw.edu.au;
• Hawke, et al, (2012)
• CHIP (2012)
• McPherson et al. (2011)

3. The Context
• A strategic Document titled “HIV Prevention in culturally
and linguistically Diverse Communities in South Australia
2012-2016” was developed in 2012
• This strategic document was based on evidence from the
literature, surveillance data and community responses
• African community was amongst the priority populations
• PEACE Multicultural Services of Relationships Australia SA
heavily consulted with the South African Communities
leaders who anonymously advised that an advisory forum is
needed to help leading agencies in the implementation
• Key individuals were selected and interviewed to assess
their interests and ideas of what this group should look like

4. Who is SAACHAC?
• SAACHAC is made of 15 leaders from the
diverse African Communities
• They are of different ages, genders, education
level and skills and roles in community
• They are all voluntary involved
• They are one year old
• Meet bi monthly
• Fully supported by PEACE Multicultural
services

5. Achievements:
• Had 6 meetings so far
• Agreed on a very ambitious Terms of reference
• Provided advice to SA health
• Contributed to the development of health
resources that are culturally appropriate
• Helped PEACE develop an annual plan
• Currently working on 2 big projects. One for
service providers to address cross cultural issues
and one for Community to help address stigma
and discrimination

6. Why do we need to address stigma?
• Stigma surrounding HIV is a significant challenge in
African communities
• Culture plays a key role in preventing people from
being tested, treated, or even being informed
because in most cultures HIV is a taboo subject.
• Africans who are HIV positive may experience
multiple forms of stigma relating to their disease ,
ethnicity and race
• stigma relating to HIV status from within their
communities may produce yet another overlapping
dimension of stigma

7. Challenges
– How can we as leaders and elders speak publicly
about those taboo topics and not jeopardise our
credibility?
– How can we address issues of stigma?
– How can we engage PLHIV?
– How can we create the future leaders for HIV
prevention? The young people
– How can we improve voluntary testing?