Time to read
Deborah Gold, Chief Executive of National AIDS Trust, said:
“The fall in new HIV diagnoses in the UK shown in today’s figures is great news, showing that prevention tools are working, such as frequent testing and access to the drug PrEP.
“However, our concern is that the decline shown in recent years is slowing, and less steep in some areas, outside London, and among some communities. Late diagnosis also remains stubbornly high, with 1,279 people diagnosed late in 2019. This suggests that current testing strategies are not reaching too many people.
“To have any hope of reaching the national target of ending new HIV transmission by 2030, we must see a significant increase in opportunities to test for HIV outside of sexual health clinics, and swift roll out of PrEP nationwide, including health promotion activities targeted at underserved populations such as women, and those from Black African communities.
“We cannot afford for progress to slow down. The Government must deliver its promised HIV Action Plan to reach the 2030 goal.”