Two people from our Emerging Communities project

Public Health England said today that HIV transmission, AIDS and HIV-related deaths could be eliminated in the UK in the next few years if there is continued investment in preventative measures, including the use of condoms and PrEP, expanded HIV testing and rapid treatment.

Their latest report shows a year on year decline in new HIV cases in gay and bisexual men for the first time since the epidemic was detected over 30 years ago. There has been a 29% decline in new HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men in London (a fall from 1,554 in 2015 to 1,096 in 2016) which can be attributed to regular and frequent testing, and prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Getting tested regularly is a vital part of HIV prevention. People living in London get tested more often for HIV than anywhere else in the country. METRO leads the GMI Partnership, which delivers the outreach work of Do It London. The campaign encourages testing as part of its HIV prevention campaign. Other ways to prevent HIV include condoms, testing, PrEP and undetectable = untransmittable.

Today our Greenwich Sexual Health bus is doing rapid HIV tests from 12-6pm in General Gordon Square in Woolwich.

97% of people receiving treatment are undetectable

The UNAIDS 90-90-90 target has been met for the first time in London. 90% of people living with HIV infection have been diagnosed, 97% of people diagnosed are receiving treatment and 97% of people receiving treatment are have undetectable levels of HIV. This means they can’t pass it on to anyone else.

But 1 in 10 people living with HIV still do not know they have it, which means it is vital to get tested regularly.

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