Steve Brine MP recently attended the launch of the manifesto of people living with HIV in Parliament.
In 2022 there were 106,000 people living with HIV in the UK and another estimated 5,000 people who remain undiagnosed. In 2021 the UK met, for the first time, the UNAIDS targets of 95-95-95, with 95% of all people diagnosed, 99% of those in care on treatment, and 97% of those receiving treatment being virally suppressed. However, in order to live well with the virus, people living with HIV have health and wellbeing needs that need to be met beyond viral suppression.
In June 2022, Positively UK – a national peer support organisation led by and for people living with HIV, held the fifth National Conference of People Living with HIV. As a result of the conference, Positively UK produced a manifesto for the decade under the topic “What Future Do We Want?”
The manifesto shines a light on how different issues are interconnected and calls for a collaborative response from all key stakeholders. Its recommendations supplement the pathways towards a much needed transformation of health systems into person-centred healthcare outlined in the “Quality of Life” report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS.
Steve Brine, who is Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group HIV and AIDS, said: “Quality of life should be defined by more than a viral load number. Our group is determined to help Ministers meet the 2030 target of eliminating new HIV infections but we have to do better, whether that’s about reducing stigma or joining up health services, for those living with the condition. This report is a useful part of that.”
During the official launch at the parliament, key speakers, all people living with HIV, shared first-hand experiences of HIV and mental health, stigma,……. Key actions from the manifesto were highlighted, aiming to ensure people with HIV can experience a good quality of life in the years to come.
Baroness Barker, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group HIV and AIDS, added: “Quality of life is a multidimensional concept; the HIV voluntary and clinical sectors must come together to agree on both what we mean by quality of life and how we can measure it”.
You can read the manifesto of people living with HIV here : https://positivelyuk.org
