Living with HIV (Health and Support)

Staying healthy

People living with HIV who are on treatment can live long and healthy lives. They can live as long as people who do not have HIV.

To stay healthy and well:

  • Find a doctor or healthcare worker you trust.
  • Go to medical appointments regularly
  • Take your HIV medication regularly and tell your doctor if you’re taking any other medication
  • Stop smoking
  • Limit the use of drugs and alcohol, or use none at all
  • Include exercise in your day
  • Eat a healthy and balanced diet
  • Get plenty of sleep
  • Keep your brain active
  • Stay socially active.

Having a baby

People living with HIV can have healthy children without passing HIV to their baby. If you are living with HIV and thinking about having a baby, you should talk to your doctor.

By taking HIV medication:

  • Women living with HIV can get pregnant without passing HIV to their partner.
  • Women living with HIV can reduce the risk of passing HIV on to their baby to almost zero (<1%)
  • Men living with HIV can have children without passing it on to their partner or baby.

In Australia, breastfeeding is not recommended for women living with HIV. It is important to speak to your doctor about this.

Our Clinical Concierge Program

Being told you have HIV and living with HIV can be difficult and confusing, especially if you are from a culturally and linguistically diverse background.

Our HIV Clinical Concierge Program provides support to people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, who are living with HIV.

It is free and available for people who live in NSW.

We match our clients with a bilingual/bicultural Cultural Support Worker (CSW). Our CSWs understand the culture and language of their clients, what it means to have an HIV diagnosis and how the health system works in Australia. We work with our clients to improve their understanding of HIV and their treatment and help them understand the health system and the services available to them.

Our service is free and confidential.

If you are living with HIV or know someone who is living with HIV, call us for more information and support on 9515 1234 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please complete the referral form here and spread the word about our service.

Referral Form

Other Services

  • ACON www.acon.org.au .
  • Bobby goldsmith Foundation www.bgf.org.au
  • Ending HIV https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/endinghiv/Pages/default.aspx
  • Family Planning NSW fpnsw.org.au
  • HIV/AIDS Legal Centre (HALC) www.halc.org.au
  • NSW Sexual Health Clinics https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/sexualhealth/Pages/sexual-health-clinics.aspx
  • NSW Sexual Health Infolink https://www.shil.nsw.gov.au/ Free call: 1800 451 624
  • NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUUA) www.nuaa.org.au
  • Positive Life NSW www.positivelife.org.au
  • Pozhet (Heterosexual HIV Service NSW) www.pozhet.org.au