Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, is supporting the HIV Commission’s recommendations for ending HIV transmissions in England by 2030.
The Commission’s Report, released today on World AIDS Day, makes 20 recommendations focusing on the following areas:
- Stigma and health inequalities
- Building a healthcare system which can take advantage of innovation
- Inequalities, including social and structural barriers to HIV testing and treatment
- Resources and funding
- National and local leadership
- Partnership and strengthening alliances
A key recommendation is that testing for HIV should take place whenever blood is taken in England – regardless of the person’s gender, ethnicity or sexuality. The report finds that this is crucial to meet the Government’s pledge to end new HIV cases by its 2030 goal.
The HIV Commission was established by the UK’s leading HIV charities Terrence Higgins Trust, National AIDS Trust and Elton John AIDS Foundation. It is chaired by Dame Inga Beale, the former CEO of Lloyd’s of London.
It’s estimated that currently around 5,900 people in England are living with undiagnosed HIV, which drastically increases the chance of unwittingly passing this virus on. Similarly, someone who receives a late diagnosis has an eight times greater risk of death compared to those diagnosed promptly.
Andrew Gwynne said:
“This is a really important report and I would strongly urge the Government to implement its recommendations, which would represent a real step change in the fight to end HIV transmissions in the next decade.
“For a variety of reasons, thousands of people are unaware that they are living with HIV and we need bold action to ensure that this changes and to meet the target to end transmissions by 2030.”
