TACKLING AIDS AND HIV MUST REMAIN PRIORITY - ÖPIK (Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats)

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Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats <montlibdems@gmail.com>

TACKLING AIDS AND HIV MUST REMAIN PRIORITY - ÖPIK

December 3, 2008 10:26 AM

Terrence Higgins Trust campaign Today, on World's AIDS day, Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire, Lembit Öpik visited the Terrence Higgins Trust headquarters in King's Cross, London, to find out more about how they support the 77,400 people living with HIV in the UK.

In Wales between 2006 and 2007, the number of people needing care for HIV increased by 15% and it is estimated that there are a total of 1,410 people living with HIV in Wales.

This year, the Terrence Higgins Trust has launched the 'THIVK' campaign. This 3 month campaign is about undiagnosed HIV infection. Around 28% of people living with HIV in the UK in 2007 were unaware of their condition, putting their lives in danger and making it more likely that they would pass the virus on.

Commenting on the campaign, Lembit said:

"The AIDS pandemic is one of the most significant public health challenges of our time. It is great to hear of the practical ways in which the Terrence Higgins Trust is supporting those already diagnosed with HIV and making HIV testing facilities easily accessible.

"I was particularly struck at how important it was for those living with HIV to have someone impartial and informed to talk to."

The Government also announced today that there will be an additional £15 million of support for AIDS programmes in South Africa. Commenting on this decision, Lembit added:

"Meeting the Millennium Development Goals of ensuring universal access to treatment by 2010, and reversing the spread of the disease by 2015, will require a sustained commitment on the part of the international community.

"The Government and our international partners must ensure that efforts to eradicate this disease are adequately supported and I strongly welcome the Government's announcement of additional funding today."

Ends/diwedd

Notes to editor:

If someone leaves testing until HIV makes them ill they're 13 times more likely to die within a year of testing positive compared to men who test positive earlier.

The 'THIVK' campaign is being rolled out across England and Wales by Terrence Higgins Trust and other organisations in the CHAPS partnership. Look out for the 'THIVK' scratch cards, moving image cards, condom packs, T-shirts and posters in gay venues near you.

The campaign will hopefully get men to think hard about whether they really are still HIV negative, to use condoms if there's any doubt about themselves or the men they have sex with, and to test, the only way someone can be sure of their HIV status.

Running in the national gay press and your local gay magazines, the 'THIVK' campaign has important things gay men should know:

• Up to 10,000 gay men in the UK have HIV but don't realise

• Among gay men with HIV 1 in 4 don't know they have it

• On average gay men have HIV for 4 years before they find out

• Experts recommend we test at least once a year

• People can say they're negative but may not know they're wrong

If you've had unprotected sex you may now have HIV - even if you felt sure it wasn't risky at the time.