New statistics released today from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show that 42 per cent of all Africans diagnosed with HIV in the UK are diagnosed late.

Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT, comments:

“The alarming proportion of late HIV diagnoses amongst Africans in the UK results in increased illness and death as well as increasing the risk of onward transmission.  We need to expand HIV testing urgently outside sexual health clinics - GPs in particular need to start testing for HIV and become better at recognising the signs and symptoms of HIV infection.”

Growing number of hetrosexuals acquiring HIV within the UK

The latest figures from the Health Protection Agency reveal that the number of people living with HIV in the UK increased to an estimated 77,400 in 2007, with 7,734 new diagnoses in 2007 alone. Although high, the number of people diagnosed with HIV each year seems to have reached a plateau but this disguises more worrying trends.

On 1 December, World AIDS Day, the first ever Sexual Health Promotion Strategy and Action Plan for Northern Ireland was published1. This Strategy document is long overdue as in recent years there have been increasing numbers of sexually transmitted infections and high levels of teenage pregnancy in Northern Ireland. 

Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT (National AIDS Trust), comments:

‘The figures show a worrying increase in diagnoses of heterosexuals infected with HIV in the UK, so it is crucial for us to step up our efforts on public education and awareness to tackle this.  This is important not just among African communities who have high rates of HIV, but among the public more generally.