It wasn’t all that long ago that an HIV diagnosis would be spoken
about in hushed tones.
But we’ve been on quite the journey since the “Don’t Die of
Ignorance” public health campaign, which for those who don’t
remember was tinged with an ominous tone, while warning of the
risk of AIDS.
The campaign might have raised awareness, but it was symptomatic
of an age when understanding was limited, treatments scarce and
outlooks bleak. We now live in more hopeful times, where, thanks
to medical and cultural advances, an HIV diagnosis is no longer a
death sentence but a manageable long term condition.
This was illustrated poignantly last week with the release of
figures showing that the UK has now become one of just a handful
of countries to meet the United Nations’ HIV/AIDS
90-90-90 targets. That means more than 90 per cent of people
with HIV have been diagnosed, 90 per cent of those with a
diagnosis are treated and 90 per cent of those treated have their
symptoms successfully managed.
This achievement is testament to the hard work of our amazing
health and care professionals. We are very proud of our
parliamentary colleague, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, the
Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown, who last week shared his
diagnosis with the world. That he felt he could is progress; that
it took huge courage to do so it shows that progress is not
enough.
Globally, though, the battle is far from over, especially in
poorer countries where stigma, lack of awareness and a scarcity
of lifesaving medicines persists. AIDS is still the biggest
killer of women of reproductive age around the world, and every
week about 7,000 young women are infected with HIV.
That is why, through UK Aid Match, the
government is joining forces with the Elton John AIDS
Foundation and The
Independent to double every pound the public generously
donates to their AIDSfree appeal.
UK Aid
Match means that every time the British public reach
into their pockets and donate to a UK Aid Match charity, their
generosity goes twice as far. In this case, it will directly
change – and indeed save – the lives of people living with HIV in
Nairobi and Maputo.
In London and the UK, we have demonstrated what is possible if
the right services and support are in place. We passionately
believe we can create an AIDS-free future for the world. Three
decades on from the first major public awareness campaigns,
that’s the scale of ambition we should have.
But it means making sure the anti-stigma message is heard just as
loud in other major cities, and backed with the resources and
expertise to give people the treatment they need to stay well.
This campaign, backed by the generosity of the public, will help
us to make this a reality.
Money raised from public donations through the AIDSfree appeal will be
used to support the Elton
John AIDS Foundation projects in six key cities around
the world (London, Nairobi, Atlanta, Kiev, Delhi and Maputo).
Through UK Aid Match, the UK
government will double public donations up to £2m to be spent
across projects in Maputo and Nairobi.
