Manchester commits to halving late-diagnosed and undiagnosed HIV

Manchester City Council has committed to halving late-diagnosed and undiagnosed HIV by passing a motion on early HIV testing in support of the Halve It campaign.

THE motion was passed unanimously by the Council and recognises the importance of local action in coordinating and commissioning accessible and effective HIV testing, and outlines a commitment by the Council to strengthening its own provision of HIV testing services through working with local NHS partners, HIV charities and patient groups.

Cllr Carl Austin, who tabled the motion, said: “I was really pleased that The Lesbian and Gay Foundation alerted me to the Halve It Campaign. It is vital that we all (Manchester City Council, GPs, CCGs and Service Providers) work together to ensure that we improve access to HIV testing services – as we know early testing not only saves lives but also has an impact for complex and expensive treatment as well as the risk of transmission to others.”

Mike Kane MP, himself a supporter of the Halve It campaign, said: “The sooner HIV is diagnosed, the sooner appropriate care can begin. We know that early testing for HIV saves lives and money too, and I fully support Manchester Council’s work on this public health priority.”

Halve It is a national coalition that 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.

Since its inception in 2010, Halve It has galvanised national and local cross-party support for HIV testing, and is supported in its aims by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

Halve It is a coalition whose members represent the following organisations: