HIV sector organisations in Queensland have issued a joint statement calling for renewed effort in response to an “alarming” increase in HIV notifications in the state.

The number of people diagnosed with HIV in 2004 was 136, a 19.2 percent rise over the previous year and a 40 percent increase since 2001, the Queensland health department said. The seven organisations said they were seriously concerned by the number of diagnoses — the highest in the state for ten years.

Simon O’Connor, the general manager of Queensland Positive People (QPP), said the organisation would continue “to highlight the importance of shared responsibility between HIV-positive and HIV-negative people,” and called on the state government to provide leadership and increased resources.

The joint statement included a “5 point plan” to respond to the increase, focusing on education, research, stigma and discrimination, and increased funding for HIV prevention services.

The Queensland government’s controversial decision to put its HIV program to competitive tender drew a sharp rebuke from the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO), which said the rise was partly due to the distraction that the 15-month tendering process caused within the HIV sector. “Everyone took their eyes off the main game so it’s not surprising that we now have further rises,” AFAO Executive Director Don Baxter said.