Campaigners hold up red ribbons in support of World AIDS Day.
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World AIDS Day on Friday seeks to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, and boost funding for initiatives which combat its global spread.
It is also a day of remembrance for the lives lost to the virus, highlighting the need for regular testing.
London rates
London remains the city with the highest number of HIV cases in England. The Terrance Higgins Trust reports that in 2021, 32% of new diagnoses were London residents. This prompts a deeper exploration into the rates of infection, treatment options, and HIV education within the capital.
Experts suggest that unsafe sexual practices are the main factor in HIV transmissions, with a mere 3% of diagnoses in England in 2021 being through injected drug use.
Daisy’s story
City News spoke to Daisy Puller, a Drag Queen based in London. The support she received when she was diagnosed with HIV in 2018 led her to join Positively UK as a peer mentor. The charity supports those living with HIV. She wants to remove the stigma surrounding HIV diagnosis:
“Anybody can be exposed to STIs. And I think what we need to show people is that it’s not something to be afraid of and that there is also a community out there.
“For example, Positively UK is a group that has about 50 percent of the services users are women… So there’s a huge community out there of straight women… Obviously we’ve been trained to think that HIV is like a gay disease.”
Daisy also expressed concern over government efforts to reduce HIV transmissions.
Government strategy
Towards Zero, a government initiative, aims to eliminate transmission cases of HIV, AIDS, and HIV-related deaths in England by 2030.
AIDS charities have noted the lack of mention of the initiative in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement. The oversight raises questions about the sustainability of funding crucial for the ‘Towards Zero’ plan. As England strives to be the first country free of new HIV cases, the impact of this oversight remains uncertain.
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HeadlineWorld AIDS Day aims to raise awareness and funding for support
Short HeadlineWorld AIDS Day: solidarity, awareness and removing stigma
StandfirstRed ribbons have been spotted all over London as the city gears up for World AIDS Day on Friday.
World AIDS Day on Friday seeks to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, and boost funding for initiatives which combat its global spread.
It is also a day of remembrance for the lives lost to the virus, highlighting the need for regular testing.
London rates
London remains the city with the highest number of HIV cases in England. The Terrance Higgins Trust reports that in 2021, 32% of new diagnoses were London residents. This prompts a deeper exploration into the rates of infection, treatment options, and HIV education within the capital.
Experts suggest that unsafe sexual practices are the main factor in HIV transmissions, with a mere 3% of diagnoses in England in 2021 being through injected drug use.
Daisy’s story
City News spoke to Daisy Puller, a Drag Queen based in London. The support she received when she was diagnosed with HIV in 2018 led her to join Positively UK as a peer mentor. The charity supports those living with HIV. She wants to remove the stigma surrounding HIV diagnosis:
“Anybody can be exposed to STIs. And I think what we need to show people is that it’s not something to be afraid of and that there is also a community out there.
“For example, Positively UK is a group that has about 50 percent of the services users are women… So there’s a huge community out there of straight women… Obviously we’ve been trained to think that HIV is like a gay disease.”
Daisy also expressed concern over government efforts to reduce HIV transmissions.
Government strategy
Towards Zero, a government initiative, aims to eliminate transmission cases of HIV, AIDS, and HIV-related deaths in England by 2030.
AIDS charities have noted the lack of mention of the initiative in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement. The oversight raises questions about the sustainability of funding crucial for the ‘Towards Zero’ plan. As England strives to be the first country free of new HIV cases, the impact of this oversight remains uncertain.
