Testing Week & World Aids Day

European HIV and Hepatitis testing week will be celebrated this year between the 20^th and 27^th of November 2023, leading up to World AIDS Day on Friday the 1^st of December 2023.

By encouraging people to become aware of their HIV and/or hepatitis status as soon as possible, people living with HIV can live long healthy lives with early treatment; and those with hepatitis C can usually be cured. Tests for hepatitis C are easy, quick and painless. Treatments in Lanarkshire are simply explained in this short clip: Lanarkshire hepatitis C treatments video.

Testing week offers an opportunity for NHS Lanarkshire and partners to work together to increase awareness of the benefits of testing, so that more people become knowledgeable about their risks, their status and understand that there are effective treatments available.

Testing is offered by a number of organisations in Lanarkshire. Postal HIV testing is also available from Terrence Higgins Trust for eligible individuals.

The most recent report from Health Protection Scotland (HPS) shows that up until the end of December 2022, a total of 6150 people were recorded as being diagnosed and living with HIV in Scotland. In Lanarkshire, this equates to 572 individuals who are HIV-positive.

In 2022, 317 new HIV-positive results were recorded in Scotland and of these 108 (34%) were first ever diagnoses and 209 (66%) had been previously diagnosed elsewhere but were newly reported in Scotland during this period. Of the 108 first ever new diagnoses recorded 45 (42%) were heterosexually acquired and therefore the largest proportion. 31 (29%) were among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and fewer than 5 were among people who inject drugs. The remaining cases were either associated with other risks or information was not available.

Although this year in Scotland looking at the data we currently have, sexual intercourse between men and women acquired more first ever diagnoses than those among gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men, which hasn’t happened since 2007, HIV overall continues to disproportionately affect men who have sex with men, as well as individuals of black African ethnicity. However, HIV can affect anyone and there are still people who have HIV but don’t know it – making testing very important, in fact, it is estimated that there are around 500 people living in Scotland who have HIV but have not been diagnosed.

The red ribbon is the international symbol of AIDS awareness and has been in existence for over 20 years. It is a simple and powerful way to challenge stigma and prejudice around HIV and also shows support for people living with HIV. HIV positive individuals who are on effective treatment can become undetectable, meaning HIV cannot be transmitted to another person through sex. The message U = U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) demonstrates the huge steps forward in treatment. More information can be found on the “Can’t Pass It On” page on the THT website.

World AIDS Day is an opportunity for us to raise awareness with both staff and members of the public about HIV and AIDS and directly challenge and address associated stigma. One way to do this is to watch and share the new national campaign, developed by THT, focussing on the key message “stigma is more harmful than HIV”. Show your support for World AIDS Day – wear a red ribbon. To order a supply for free and find out about other resources and awareness raising activities, contact the BBV&SH Promotion Team on 0300 303 0216.