Month: November 2014

World AIDS Day: Monday 1 December 2014

Edinburgh turns red and asks: ‘What Will You Do about HIV’?

On World AIDS Day (Monday 1 December) organisations across Edinburgh are joining the Scotland-wide campaign to ask: ‘What Will You Do’ about HIV – the virus that when left untreated can lead to AIDS.

Fifteen buildings and landmarks across Edinburgh – including St John’s Church, St Andrew’s House, Harvey Nichols, Jenners and the Usher Hall –  are turning their lights red to mark 1 December, events are being held across the city and information and leaflets about HIV are being sent to GPs, colleges, businesses and clinics.

The campaign, run by a coalition of charities, campaigners and local health boards, is asking everyone in Scotland – from individuals and businesses through to politicians – to think actively about what they can do to reduce new cases of HIV and to tackle the stigma and prejudice people living with HIV in Scotland still face.

Across this weekend and 1 December itself, the campaign will see:

• events held at the Scottish Parliament, Glasgow City Chambers and across the country
• HIV information materials distributed across GP surgeries, colleges, and businesses;
• campaigners asking #WhatWillYouDo on social media and inviting everyone to add red ribbons to their profile pictures; and 80 buildings and landmarks across Scotland turning their lights red on 1 December to show support.

George Valiotis, CEO of HIV Scotland – the national HIV policy charity for Scotland – said:“It’s fantastic to see people and organisations across Edinburgh and the Lothians supporting World AIDS Day and talking about HIV. Historically as a society we’ve chosen to be either actively terrified of HIV or to ignore it. Neither approach is the answer. As a nation we must use World AIDS Day this year to take a good hard look at where we are in our response to HIV.

“People living with HIV tell us they can still face stigma and prejudice in every area of their lives; and we know that rates of new cases of HIV haven’t reduced significantly across the last 10 years. This simply isn’t good enough, and that’s why our campaign this year is to ask everyone in Scotland – from members of the public, right through to key decision-makers – to stop and think: what will you do about HIV?

 “For members of the public, the answer to that question might be simple: visit www.aidsdayscotland.com and learn a few facts about HIV, use condoms, get tested, or help spread the word by tweeting using hashtag #WhatWillYouDo or adding a red ribbon to your social media profile picture.

“Decision-makers can answer the question by making concrete commitments to work together and find new ways to reduce new cases of HIV and to tackle the stigma people living with HIV face. As Scotland’s Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework comes to an end in March, we have to grasp the opportunity right now to build a new, more effective response to HIV.”

Various events are also taking place in the city on and around 1 December to commemorate the day – including a Community Gathering for World AIDS Day at St John’s Church and a sponsored sea-swim in Portobello. 

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said: “World AIDS Day is a chance for Scotland to unite with the world in tackling HIV. It is also a time to remember those who have died, as well as reflect on the progress that has been made over the past 30 years. The Scottish Government continues to work with NHS, third sector and local authority colleagues through the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework to reduce new infections and improve diagnosis, treatment and care for those living with HIV. I hope that the #WhatWillYouDo campaign will make people more aware of HIV and help us work together to ensure that people with HIV live longer healthier lives, free from stigma and discrimination.”

The latest Health Protection Scotland figures show that there are an estimated 4,800 individuals diagnosed and living with HIV in Scotland and that an estimated 24% of those living with HIV haven’t been diagnosed. Evidence suggests that most new HIV cases are a result of transmission from individuals who are unaware of their status – highlighting the need for earlier and more frequent testing.

An average of 356 new cases of HIV have been reported each year for the last four years in Scotland – close to one each day. While many of those diagnosed with HIV are accessing treatment, in 2013, half of those newly diagnosed were already at a late stage of infection – reinforcing the importance of widening access to HIV testing and getting people into treatment and care as early as possible.

Full information about the ‘What Will You Do’ campaign, events and HIV and AIDS are available at www.aidsdayscotland.com. Red ribbons can be added to social media profiles at www.bit.ly/getribbon and campaigners invite everyone in Scotland to tweet using #WhatWillYouDo to show support.