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The UK has achieved an important goal on the road to the end of the HIV epidemic by successfully diagnosing and treating over 90% of people with the virus.
Public Health England said that there were about 102,000 HIV-positive people in the UK last year, of which 8% – 8,200 – would probably have no knowledge of their infection.
UNAids has set a "90-90-90" target for each country, challenging health authorities to diagnose more than 90% of people living with HIV, to put 90% of the population on treatment and to ensure 90% viral suppression, which means the amount of HIV in their country. antiretroviral drugs keep the body so low that they are not infectious to others.
In July, UNAids reported that Botswana, Cambodia, Denmark, Swaziland, Namibia and the Netherlands had achieved the 90-90-90 targets and that seven other countries were on track to achieve this.
The UK has now joined its ranks, PHE said, with 92% of cases diagnosed, 98% of cases diagnosed on treatment and 97% on repressed viral treatment.
A PHE report released on Saturday before World AIDS Day indicates that the number of new diagnoses has continued to decline, from 5,280 in 2016 to 4,363 in 2017. Transmission among homobadual and bibadual men has been declining since 2012.
Activists will welcome the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis as an important factor, although it is not the only one. PreP is an antiretroviral that can be taken daily by people at risk, for example because they have an HIV-positive partner. It has been proven that it reduces their risk of infection by more than 90%.
HIV / AIDS advocacy organizations sued the NHS for refusing to pay for PreP and won in 2016. The NHS estimated that the drug would cost £ 20 million a year. As a result, PreP was offered to 10,000 men at a trial.
The PHE report indicates that the use of PreP may be one of the reasons for the decline in infections, but that the effect can not yet be quantified. The study puts forward a set of measures including condom use, increased testing, especially in badual health centers, and the diagnosis of addiction treatment.
"There is no doubt that prevention efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the UK are paying off," said Noel Gill, PHE's STI and HIV manager. "Our efforts must be continued quickly to eliminate HIV. With about 8,000 people still unaware of their infection, it is essential that people get tested for HIV if they consider themselves at risk, or accept the offer of a test for HIV. HIV testing by a health professional, as early diagnosis is essential to stop transmission. "
Health and Social Affairs Secretary Matt Hanbad recalled when an HIV diagnosis was "effectively a death sentence".
He said: "Today's report is a poignant and powerful reminder of the road traveled. Today, in the UK, almost all HIV-positive people are not only diagnosed and treated, but live as long and healthy – and we are one of the few countries to achieve these ambitious goals. # 39; UN.
"This did not seem possible just a few decades ago, but thanks to the efforts of public health organizations, charities and the NHS to encourage early testing and innovative, high-quality treatment, we are continuing the fight against HIV. "
However, the 43% of people diagnosed late still remain very worrisome, which means that they could be sick and have infected other people before achieving their own HIV status.
Deborah Gold, Executive Director of the National Aids Trust, said the group was delighted that all of her efforts have paid off dramatically. "This is an extraordinary moment in the fight against HIV, where everything seems possible. We know what works. We have the tools. With the good political will, investment and support from the public, we can eliminate HIV as a threat to public health and make real progress towards the UN goal of ending stigma. related to HIV. "
Ian Green, chief executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said the news was fantastic. "But this is far from over and it is time for us to be even more ambitious as we work to completely stop new HIV transmissions in the UK," he said. He called on the government to commit to ending new infections by 2030.
The local government badociation also applauded this news, but called for the cancellation of the £ 600 million cuts to public health grants from councils, which fund badual health services.
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