HIV
Health alert
Status: Active
Last updated: 14 April 2025
Issued by: Chief Health Officer
Issued to: Health professionals and NT wide
HIV is a virus that affects the body’s ability to fight off infections. It is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
Current situation
There is a noted increase in newly diagnosed HIV cases in the NT with 4 cases notified year-to-date in 2025, compared to one case notified in the same period in 2024.
This is in the setting of a current supply shortage of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Australia.
Patients using HIV PrEP medications or those at risk of HIV infection may report difficulty in obtaining an adequate supply of PrEP. HIV PrEP prescribers need to advise patients about the shortage and discuss alternative sourcing or dosing options during this period.
Alerts to health professionals
Notifiable disease
HIV and the clinical diagnosis of AIDS is a notifiable disease.
Sexual health information for professionals
Follow your clinical guidelines relevant to your setting such as the below resources.
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Document | NT guidelines for the management of sexually transmitted infections in the primary health care setting | NT Health |
| Document | CARPA Remote primary health care manuals | Remote PHC manuals |
| Document | Australian STI management guidelines for use in primary care | ASHM |
| Tropical Health Orientation Manual for health practitioners in Northern Australia | HIV | Centre for Remote Health |
Information for the public
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Webpage | HIV infection and AIDS | Health direct |
| Webpage | Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) | Health direct |
| Webpage | HIV translated information | Stay STI free |
| Webpage | Get PEP | Australian Federation of AIDS organisation |
Get a sexual health check-up
| Organisation | Locations | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Clinic 34 | Darwin region, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs | Northern Territory Government |
| Family planning welfare clinic | Darwin region | Family planning |
| GP | Various locations | Health direct |
| Remote health services | Remote communities | Northern Territory Government |
| Aboriginal medical services | Remote and urban locations | AMSANT |
Find out where to get free condoms in the Northern Territory on the Northern Territory Government website.
Contact
Contact the Public Health Unit’s Centre for Disease Control.
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