4194 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health

4194 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter July to September 2024 has been made toward the action ‘Improving national surveillance’ under Focus area 1: ‘Surveillance, information and knowledge system actions’ as recommended in the National HIV Action Plan?

Hon Casey Costello: I am advised that during the July to September 2024 quarter, work to improve HIV behavioural surveillance was progressed. I am further advised that planning began to undertake another two rounds of behavioural surveillance -- based on repeating the amended Sex and Prevention of Transmission Study (SPOTS) -- with the University of Auckland and the Burnett Foundation Aotearoa. Data collected in 2025 and 2027 will identify changes in risk behaviour trends that indicate potential changes in transmission.