Friday, December 1 is World AIDS Day. With every ribbon we remember those we’ve lost to HIV.
Many of those who died from AIDS-related illnesses in the early days of the epidemic were deliberately forgotten due to the stigma and discrimination that was rife at the time. That’s why it’s so important to pay tribute and give thanks to our forbearers who have fought for 40 years of progress. We have made tremendous progress around HIV which wouldn’t be possible without their contributions. The activists, doctors, nurses, friends, grieving partners and every single person who has worked for and volunteered for HIV charities across the UK to get to where we are today.
People on effective HIV treatment can’t pass it on to their partners. PrEP, a free pill that protects you from HIV, is now available in sexual health clinics across the UK. It used to take weeks to get the result of an HIV test, but now it can be done in the comfort of your own home using a self-test – with just minutes to wait before finding out your status.
“It’s so important to pay tribute and give thanks to our forbearers who have fought for 40 years of progress.”
The UK is in a time of hope as we work to end new cases of HIV by 2030 and we will do everything we can to achieve this life-changing and historic goal – because we owe it to those who shoulders we stand on. This opportunity, which would have been unimaginable in the 1980s is possible because we have all of the tools to do it. But we’re currently not doing enough to maximise them.
We need to urgently expand the highly successful opt-out HIV testing programme to all 32 areas where HIV prevalence is high in England. In just 16 months, more than 3,000 people have been found with HIV, hep B and hep C in London, Manchester, Brighton and Blackpool alone. This pioneering scheme is saving lives, saving money and relieving pressure on the NHS. Every day that passes is a missed opportunity, that’s why it’s high time we expand it.
We also need to make PrEP available outside of sexual health clinics for more people to access it including groups other than gay and bisexual men. Our Brighton & Hove team has been at the forefront of this mission to get PrEP to the people who need it most through their PrEP2U scheme, which removes the barriers to the HIV prevention pill by taking sexual health clinics out of the equation. Every Monday and Thursday we open our doors to people who want to start on PrEP. During an appointment we offer a full HIV and STI screening, advice, information, vaccinations for HPV and Hep A/B, and of course PrEP to take home.
“The UK is in a time of hope as we work to end new cases of HIV by 2030 and we will do everything we can to achieve this life-changing and historic goal…”
We also can’t make ending HIV transmissions a reality without ending the stigma around HIV and the devastating impact it has on the lives of people living with HIV. It’s felt every time someone is cruelly rejected on a dating app because of their HIV status, in a hospital when someone takes extra precautions while taking blood, or when HIV is the punchline of a joke.
Stigma also makes people too scared to test – but not getting a test doesn’t change the result and means you’re living with HIV and not getting treatment. Our Positive Voices volunteers are doing an incredible job of tackling stigma by sharing their lived experience in schools, and other organisations. If you’re living with HIV and interested in joining the team, or booking a talk at your workplace, visit their webpage.
There is a clear disconnect between the reality of living with HIV in 2023 and the public’s knowledge and awareness. Tackling HIV stigma needs to be a priority – everyone needs to play their part through shouting about the advancements we’ve made in the fight against HIV and challenging misinformation about the virus. Because we will never end the HIV epidemic without ending the stigma.
“We also can’t make ending HIV transmissions a reality without ending the stigma around HIV and the devastating impact it has on the lives of people living with HIV.”
Take action to support people living with HIV and end new cases in the UK by 2030. Fundraising is one of the best ways you can help. Any amount of money you raise through marathon running or taking on a challenge is going to make a big difference. Our charity provides free HIV testing to people across the UK – one test costs us £15, which means you can help 135 people find out their HIV status by raising £2,030. Our community fundraising team are here to help you. If you have any questions or just would like a chat about ideas, email fundraising@tht.org.uk and they’ll be in touch.
Together we can be the generation that ends the HIV epidemic and eradicate the stigma associated with the virus for good. HIV, times up!
