Nia Griffith MP has pledged her support for Halve It, a national campaign that aims to halve late diagnosis and undiagnosed HIV in the UK by 2015. At a parliamentary drop-in session to mark the 25th World AIDS day, Nia met with key members of the campaign’s steering group, including leading HIV clinicians, and representatives of patient and policy organisations. She discussed with them Halve It’s aims and achievements to date, and the campaign’s compelling case for HIV to remain a public health priority in the UK.
The Halve It campaign focuses on the expansion of HIV testing services, on the basis that early testing of HIV saves lives, and also results in substantial savings to the public health budget. Since it began in 2010, the campaign has brought together widespread support for HIV testing.
According to official statistics released last week, an estimated 98,400 people were living with HIV in the UK in 2012. The overall prevalence was 1.5 per 1,000 population, and an estimated 21,900 people living with HIV in 2012 were unaware of their infection.
Speaking about the campaign, Nia said, “With these statistics, HIV must remain a priority. Years ago we had the ‘Don’t die of ignorance slogans’, and we now need renewed efforts to halve late diagnosis and undiagnosed HIV in the UK by 2015.”