Melbourne has been announced as the host city for the 2014 International AIDS Conference, which will be the largest medical conference ever held in the country.

 

The conference will bring together over 13,000 world leading scientists, healthcare providers, public health experts, political, community and business leaders and the HIV-affected community.

 

"Australia is a leader in HIV and AIDS research and response, and winning the right to host the conference pays tribute to that," Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said.

 

Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said that although Australia continues to have one of the lowest rates of new HIVdiagnoses in the world, there is no room for complacency.

 

"In the words of Australia's theme for World AIDS day 2011, HIV is still here and despite advances in treatment and the success of Australia's response, about 1,000 people are still diagnosed with HIV in Australia each year," Ms Roxon said.

 

"More than 21,000 Australians, far too many, are living with HIV, so prevention remains a priority for the Australian Government.

 

The Government currently spends about $70 million a year in Australia on a variety of programs related to HIV and other blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections, including funding for research, prevention, education, advocacy, surveillance and protection of the blood supply. In addition, it funds medications through the Highly Specialised Drugs program as well as medical and pathology services.

 

The conference will be held over 6 days in July 2014 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and is expected to generate around $80 million for the Victorian economy.