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Brighton & Hove signs up to international HIV initiative

Brighton & Hove City Council signs up to international commitment to work towards eradicating HIV as a public health threat.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Warren Morgan and the Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Mo Marsh, signed the Paris Declaration on Fast Track Cities ending AIDS at a gathering at the Mayor’s Parlour on Friday, August 3.

First launched on World AIDS Day in 2014, the Fast Track Cities initiative has gained support from more than 70 cities around the world.

Brighton & Hove becomes the first UK city to commit to the Fast Track Cities’ Paris Declaration.

Joining the initiative provides access to the excellent resources of the international Fast Track Cities team. This will help to better understand where best to concentrate efforts at a local level.

Brighton & Hove has the highest number of people diagnosed with HIV outside of London. In 2015, the most recent year figures are available for, NHS records show almost 1,700 Brighton & Hove residents used HIV treatment services.

The majority of people living with HIV in Brighton & Hove are likely to have acquired the infection through sex between men. While infections remain high locally, clinic data averaged out over the last four years, shows a 50% reduction in new diagnoses.

This trend is due to a combination of improvements; More testing is reducing the time between infection and diagnosis, which means people are likely to transmit the infection unknowingly. Also people with HIV are starting treatment earlier and are less infectious as a result. The proportion of HIV infection diagnosed late is 29% in Brighton and Hove compared to 40% in England.

Over the last thirty years there has been incredible progress in the diagnosis and treatment of people living with HIV.

People diagnosed early with HIV can now expect to have a near normal life expectancy. This is mainly thanks to improvements made in preventing transmission, prompt diagnosis and effective treatments.

Signing the Paris Declaration shows a commitment by the city to stop all new HIV infections and avert AIDS-related deaths.

The declaration includes a pledge “to end the AIDS epidemic in cities by 2030” and commits the city to achieving the “90-90-90” targets by 2020.

The Fast track Cities 90-90-90 targets are:

♦ 90% of people living with HIV to be aware of their status
♦ 90% of people who know they’re HIV positive to be on treatment and
♦  90% of people on treatment to have an undetectable viral load, at which point there’s a better chance of having a healthier and longer life

To download the Paris Declaration, click here:

Board of Trustees - Martin Fisher Foundation
Board of Trustees – Martin Fisher Foundation

Mr Gay Europe title comes to Brighton

Gscene cover model crowned Mr Gay Europe at Stockholm Pride

Matt Rood, Gscene’s cover model for the August Pride issue was crowned Mr Gay Europe at Stockholm Pride today (August 5).

Matt who has a dog walking business in Brighton & Hove won the Social Media Challenge (SoMe) and My Project challenge, he came second in the preliminary interview, the photo challenge and the sports challenge. He came third in the written test and forth in the online vote. His total score came to 845 out of maximum 1200.

The result was announced at Pride Park in Stockholm, Sweden, during Stockholm Pride, August 5, 2017.

Tore Aasheim, the MGE president, said: “Matt Rood is one of the most dedicated and hardworking gay activist that I have had the honour to get to know through Mr Gay Europe,

“With his big heart, his kind attitude but also strong devotion, and with a project that shows that he really put his money where his mouth is, Matt both showed us his commitment and the fact that you don’t need to be a twink to win Mr Gay Europe.”

Matt said: “I would like to thank everyone in Brighton & Hove who voted for me.”

Matt’s campaign for the competition was called Pride Families and for three years he was a foster carer helping ten children. He wants to use his new title as Mr Gay Europe, and his experience as a foster carer as a platform to promote awareness showing that LGBT+ people can adopt and foster children providing them with loving, safe and nurturing homes.

In September, he will be working with Brighton and Hove City Council to launch a new fostering and adoption campaign.

He added: “I believe the only way to combat discrimination in future generations is to work with children and teach them through respect, happiness and love for each other.”

The finalists
The finalists

In June this year Matt presented awards for favourite entertainer and favourite cabaret venue at the Golden Handbag Awards at the Brighton Metropole Hilton Hotel.

Mr Gay Ireland, 24 year old Stephen Lehane was first runner up with 815 marks.

Mr Gay Scotland, 39 year old Steven Whyte was second runner up with 755 marks.

Next year, the finals of Mr Gay Europe will be staged in Poland for the first time from August 4-12, 2018

President Tore Aasheim President of Mr Gay Europe, said: “By organising Mr Gay Europe 2018 in Poland we want to send a message to the gay community in Europe; that we need to stand shoulder to shoulder and support our brothers and sisters all over the continent and will be a great opportunity for delegates to learn about Polish traditions, customs, culture and politics.”

Pawel Zabilski, Director of Mr Gay Poland who will host the 2018 event, said: To be asked to organise such a prestigious and large LGBT event in Poland is a great honour. I want to thank the whole team of Mr Gay Europe for their trust and support. We will do our best to make the competition a success.”

 

 

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