Samuel Muchoki introduces the Victorian Multicultural Sexual Health Network (MSHN) and discusses the Hand in Hand forum on HIV. This presentation was given at the Under the Baobab African Diaspora Networking Zone at the International AIDS Conference, AIDS 2014.

1. Partnering with spiritual
leaders in preventing HIV
transmission and
eliminating stigma
Samuel Muchoki, PhD
Sector Development and Policy Adviser
Multicultural Health and Support Service (MHSS)
samuelm@ceh.org.au

2. About MHSS
• The Multicultural Health and Support Service
(MHSS) is a program of the Centre for Culture,
Ethnicity and Health.
• MHSS works with communities and service
providers to prevent the transmission of HIV,
hepatitis B and other sexually transmissible
infections in migrant and refugee communities
in Victoria

3. Our service activities include:
• community education
• support for connections
• community-led actions
• Sector development and capacity building

4. A cross-sectoral approach to preventing blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible
infections

5. About MSHN
• 3 forums per year
• Invite stakeholders to discuss emerging topics
• Format: Guest speakers, workshopping, panel
discussions

6. 3rd Mshn forum:
• hand in hand: partnering with spiritual and
community leaders in preventing HIV
transmission in migrant and refugee
communities (11th March, 2014)
• Guest speakers: Spiritual leaders
• Panel discussion
• Q and A session

7. Presentations
• HIV epidemic in migrant and refugee
communities in Victoria by Carol El-Hayek,
Manager, Infectious Disease Surveillance,
Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute
• In 2013, there were 1,250 new HIV diagnosis in
Australia: 55% Australian-born, 42% born
overseas, while 13% did not identify their
countries of birth.

8. • In Victoria, South-East Asian men and sub-
Saharan Africa women are disproportionally
affected by HIV. In both groups, the rate of HIV
infection is higher than that of the Australia-born
population

9. • Anglican Church response to HIV in
multicultural communities in Victoria by
Reverend Stephen Delbridge, Anglican
Chaplain, Royal Melbourne Hospital and
Coordinator of Anglican Health Chaplains
• Islamic perspective on HIV prevention by
Lina Ayoubi Hospital Chaplaincy Coordinator,
Islamic Council of Victoria
• Buddhist perspective on HIV prevention by
Hojun Futen, Healthcare Chaplaincy
Coordinator, Buddhist Council of Victoria
• ‘Called to serve’ by Marg Hayes, coordinator,
catholic HIV/AIDS ministry

10. Summary
• Concern that many spiritual leaders and
communities members do not know about HIV
or their vulnerability to the disease in Australia
• Shame and guilt about living with HIV or taking
care of PLHV
• Spiritual leaders expressed a need to be
informed on key health related issues on HIV
and other blood borne viruses

11. • Spiritual leaders expressed a need for support
in starting the conversation around HIV
prevention and eliminating stigma in their
congregation.
• Representatives from the service sector,
particularly those in the BBV/STI sector,
expressed a need for more partnership
initiatives with faith-based institutions in
preventing HIV, proving care and support to
PLHV and their families, and
eliminate HIV/AIDS-related stigma.

12. Finding from my PhD
• Participants said they had limited support in
sexual matters from their spiritual leaders

13. You cannot talk about it…you can’t ask for
information…the Sheikh cannot even tell you…
He asks, ‘why are you asking before you marry?
You get married them you have this [information].
(Aimie, single, 34 years old, Sudanese born)

14. Recommendations
• Initiating strategic partnerships
• Social marketing
• Break the silence around HIV stigma
• End discrimination against PLHV
• The full report is available on our website
http://www.ceh.org.au/our-
programs/our_programs_mhss/mshn

15. Outcome
• Follow-up meeting to discuss the tip sheet
• Feedback and endorsement of the tip sheet
• Tip sheet will be printed out and distributed to
faith-based institutions in Victoria.
• The tip sheet will also be available for
downloading on our website

16. Conclusion
• There is an opportunity for service providers to
work in partnership with faith-based institutions
to make a real difference in addressing HIV and
the debilitating effects of HIV stigma in migrant
and refugee communities.
• Political commitment from service providers
and faith-based organisations.