World AIDS Day 2019 - so much done; much left to do.


It is World AIDS Day this weekend. And each year it gives me so much joy to see the progress that is being made in the UK and in many parts of the world.

As a gay man who grew up in the 1980s in the long dark shadow of fear, stigma and shame of HIV, and worked as a Gay Men’s HIV Prevention worker in the mid-90s, it is just divine to see stigma being tackled head on, the quality of treatment, the Undetectable = Untransmittable campaign and the determined focus from activists and organisations to make PrEP available freely, widely and to everybody that needs it.

What a distance we have travelled.

When I first had a HIV test at University it was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. The questions about my sexual experiences made me question whether I was really gay after all.  What were those sexual acts, and did people really do those things?  And if they did, did I really have to talk about them?

The pre-test counselling - whilst good intentioned - created so much fear it was unbelievable. Of course if you got a positive result at that time, the prognosis was not good. It was before combination therapy. I cannot remember if I waited a week, two weeks or a month for my result. I know it felt like a lifetime.  

Fast forward 10 years or so, I had a second HIV test after being sexually assaulted. The clinicians were amazing, and the hope and optimism of combination therapy made the whole experience completely different.

And then fast forward another 15 years my third test, after having a drink spiked. I don’t think anything happened but I still don’t know for sure. My body didn’t feel (or smell) like I had been assaulted but I could not be sure, so I ordered a home testing kit. Easy to do then a small prick in the finger, a few minutes and I knew the outcome. I am of course grateful it was a negative result, but unlike 25 years earlier, before I took the test I didn’t have any of the fear that a positive result meant death.  

So much brilliant progress; far too many lives lost way too young along the way and still so much left to do. Thank you to all the brilliant organisations, clinicians and activists who are creating and demanding change.

Despite all the progress we cannot be complacent. There are still considerable inequalities in access to prevention, including PrEP, and treatment both in the UK and around the world.

We can and must all be visible in taking a stand against stigma. Please at the very least wear a red ribbon this World Aids Day and if you can donate to one of the brilliant charities leading the way, please do.

Comments

  1. Carol William28 September 2020 at 04:20

    HIV Rapid Testing is one of the high-impact prevention services offered through PRN. This is a free, confidential service. Results are provided in 20 minutes. Rapid Testing clients receive this service by trained counselors that provide individual, client-focused risk reduction and counselling.

    ReplyDelete

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