Every year on 1st December people across the globe mark World AIDS Day: the international day to remember the 35 million people who have died worldwide from AIDS-related illnesses, to prevent new cases of HIV and to stand in solidarity with people living with the virus.
As part of the campaign ‘What will you do?’ Ben Macpherson MSP, for Edinburgh Northern and Leith today pledged to:
· Support access to quality and inclusive sexual health education for all young people.
· Promote access to HIV testing within my constituency/region.
· Encourage communities at increased risk of HIV to access testing services.
· Uphold and strengthen existing human rights for people affected by HIV.
· Champion the involvement of people living with HIV in the services they access.
· Advocate for a fairer social security system to support people living with HIV.
The Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP said: “The rate of new HIV infections in Scotland has remained the same for the last ten years; on average one person every single day is diagnosed. This is despite new infections being entirely preventable. A fairer social security system to support people living with HIV can make a huge difference to the future HIV infection rates in Scotland.”