Newly Diagnosed?
Everyone responds to an HIV diagnosis differently – there is no right or wrong way to handle the news. It’s important to remember that treatments for HIV have improved enormously in recent times. Many people living with HIV are only taking one or two pills a day, and manage to keep the long term health impacts of HIV to a minimum.
Want someone to talk to?
You can contact one of the Pamoja team if you have any questions or need to talk to someone. There are two main peer support organisations that are run by people living with HIV in New Zealand. You can access these organisations in addition to support from the Pamoja team.
- Body Positive is a group founded by and run for people living with HIV/AIDs in New Zealand. Their services include counselling, free rapid HIV testing, massage therapy, budgeting services and support groups for younger and recently diagnosed people.
- Positive Women is an HIV support organisation specifically for women who are living with HIV.
Free professional counselling:
Burnett Foundation Aotearoa (formerly the New Zealand AIDS Foundation) provides counselling for free to anyone who is living with, or thinks they may be at risk of HIV, as well as their friends, partner(s) and whānau.
If you live in Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington make an appointment with an HIV counsellor using this form. If you live outside those areas call the Burnett Foundation on 0800 802 437 and they will connect you with the HIV counselling service closest to you.
Contact tracing
Once you are diagnosed, any sexual partners that may be at risk of HIV due to their contact with you will be contacted and encouraged to test for HIV. This is not something you have to do. It will be done by the health service and your identity will be kept confidential.
