HIV/AIDS and the African Refugee Education Program in New Zealand

Abstract

In the past decade, the resettlement of African HIV-positive refugees in New Zealand has meant dramatically changing patterns of new HIV infection. This increase in heterosexually acquired HIV has been met by mounting disquiet on the part of the public, politicians, and health officials. The voices of the refugees themselves have been lost in this debate. This article discusses the experiences of African refugees with HIV, being in New Zealand, and the establishment of the National HIV/AIDS Refugee Health Education Program, designed to meet the needs of African communities in New Zealand.