Caroline Lucas has taken an HIV test in support of the Halve It campaign, which is aiming to halve late diagnosis and undiagnosed HIV in the UK by 2015.
Caroline, who is giving the opening speech at the World AIDS Day event unveiling the largest Red Ribbon in the World on Brighton Level this Sunday, said:
“Sadly, Brighton and Hove continues to have the highest rate of HIV infection in the country outside London. Early testing and diagnosis are key to combatting this epidemic, which is why I chose to be tested today. We need to remove the stigma around HIV testing.
“Across the country, HIV must remain a priority, and we have to continue to work to improve testing and diagnosis.”
HIV testing formed part of the Halve It World AIDS Day parliamentary drop-in session yesterday, where Caroline met with key members of the campaign’s steering group, including leading HIV clinicians, and CEOs of patient and policy organisations. She discussed with them Halve It’s aims and achievements to date, and the campaign’s case for HIV to remain a public health priority in the UK.
Halve It is a coalition of advocates and experts that works with all levels of government and the NHS to reduce the proportion of people undiagnosed and diagnosed late with HIV, through public policy reform and implementation of good practice. The Halve It campaign focuses on the expansion of HIV testing services, on the basis that early testing of HIV saves lives and also results in substantial savings to the public health budget.
According to Public Health England data released last week, an estimated 98,400 people were living with HIV in the UK in 2012. The overall prevalence was 1.5 per 1,000 population, and an estimated 21,900 people living with HIV in 2012 were unaware of their infection.
For more information about the Halve It campaign, CLICK HERE:
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