Blogs

As Prince Harry has once again evidenced, now that approved HIV self tests are readily available, it is almost impossible to have an excuse for not knowing your HIV status.

Advances in antiretroviral therapies now mean that with a one tablet per day regime, the virus can be supressed to a point when it becomes undetectable. This is one of the most important messages to deliver, as it means the person’s health and life expectancy are not impacted and most importantly the virus cannot be passed on. If transmission stops, the battle against HIV is won. 

Warranted or not, sex and drugs receive a lot of bad press. Sex while under the influence of drugs receives even more. This, sometimes lethal, combination has become known as Chemsex. Chem-sessions can go on for days. There’s little eating or sleeping, more partying and repeating. By the following Tuesday morning, when the come down really kicks in, many people need someone to lean on for a bit of love and support. That's where Afterparty come in.....

I will never forget that morning of the 4^th July 2016. The day I received my little silver package in the post, little did I know then that this little package would be one of the most important deliveries of my life, as in this little package was my HIV self test kit. I am safe, so I had nothing to worry about. In a way I was doing the test to tick it off my list.

The test was relatively simple to do, just a prick of my finger, suck up some blood and wait for 15mins for results. Instant results in my case. In a blink of an eye my life changed forever. My test returned a POSITIVE result. I was staring at two (2) solid lines, they were as clear as day.  

HIV in the UK With 20% of people still believing the myth that HIV can be passed on through kissing, education surrounding HIV is as urgent today as it always has been. Although there have been amazing advancements in testing, education and treatment around HIV, it continues to affect a large number of people in the UK. Each year, a significant number of people are exposed to the infection, with many sadly going on to contract HIV. Many people believe that the chance of contracting HIV in the UK is very low and unfortunately this view is particularly prevalent in...

Today there is absolutely no reason why anyone should die as a consequence of HIV infection. Test and Treat programmes are being implemented globally. But you can only treat HIV and prevent the long term health damage and stop onward transmission of the virus if you have knowledge of your HIV status. If you don’t test, you can’t treat.

UNAIDS have an ambitious yet achievable target to put the global community back on track and ensure the epidemic’s demise : the “90, 90, 90 Goals”  

Could HIV self-testing unlock the door to a world without AIDS..........