World Aids Day is on 1 December when, people around the world unite to show their support for people living with HIV, raise awareness of how to get tested and commemorate those who have sadly lost their lives to AIDS.
In the UK more than 100,000 people are living with HIV.
Medical advances mean people with HIV in the UK can expect a long and healthy life and that we have the tools to stop HIV transmissions.
But HIV continues to be highly stigmatised and misunderstood. This disproportionally affects those who have a Black African ethnicity or through unprotected sex.
There may be as many as 4,400 people in the UK who are undiagnosed, and nearly half of people are diagnosed late.
In some areas in South Yorkshire, as many as 60% of people are diagnosed late.
Late diagnosis in South Yorkshire is highest amongst males with heterosexual contact, females with heterosexual contact and injecting drug users.
Dr David Crichton, Chief Medical Officer at NHS South Yorkshire said: “Early diagnosis is key to successful treatment of HIV. It helps people to access the right treatments and decreases transmission of virus. A late diagnosis means damage to the immune system has already began take place.”
“Most people infected with HIV experience a short, flu-like illness that occurs 2-6 weeks after infection. After this, HIV may not cause any symptoms for several years.”
“The only way to find out if you have HIV is to have an HIV test, which is free of charge on the NHS.”
HIV tests are incredibly quick and provide same day results, helping people to get the treatment they need as soon as possible.
You can find a testing clinic and more information on the NHS website.
While the science has come on leaps and bounds, some public attitudes to HIV have remained stuck in the 1980s.
Stigma hurts people living with HIV, it stops people talking openly about what the virus really means, and it puts people off getting tested and knowing their status.
For World Aids Day let’s reduce the stigma and encourage those in South Yorkshire who are concerned to get tested.