Funding stagnates for HIV prevention

Investment in HIV prevention has stalled or declined in the UK since the late 1990s, while the number of those living with HIV has more than doubled, according to a report.

The government is failing to give HIV in the UK the “necessary priority” with no Department of Health targets specifically related to the condition and no cabinet-level speech on the issue in the past two years, the National Aids Trust report said.

And the process of deporting immigrants is resulting in people being denied the treatment and care they need while in the UK, the report claimed. 

The trust called for a halt to the deportation of people with HIV to countries where lack of treatment will result in their death.

The number of new HIV cases increased to 7,750 in 2005, up from 3,863 in 2000, with the numbers accessing treatment services up from 16,136 in 1997 to 42,182 in 2004.

The total number of people living with the condition is estimated at over 60,000.