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HIV infection rates continue to fall in Southwark

3 July 2019

As the latest phase of the Do It London campaign rolls out across the capital, the goal of achieving zero new HIV infections is a possibility if Londoners keep making safer choices.

The campaign, part of the London HIV Prevention Programme, is particularly significant for its pan-London approach to tackling HIV, with collaboration and joint funding from London boroughs, including Southwark.

Local data shows that the rate of new HIV diagnosis has been in decline since 2011 when it was 92 per 100,000, as of 2018 this has fallen to 42 per 100,000. 
Late diagnosis is also falling. The proportion of people diagnosed late between 2015-2017 was 34 per cent reduced from 44 per cent in 2009-2011.

Do it London 2019 shares the most recent data from Public Health England (December 2018) which shows an overall 37 per cent reduction in new HIV diagnoses in the capital since the boroughs began Do It London in 2015. In men who have sex with men (the group most affected by HIV in London), that figure reduced by 40 per cent in the same period. However, the reduction has not been the same in all groups, including those who identify as heterosexual. It’s important that everyone tests for HIV, as early detection and treatment can ensure a long, healthy life.

Do It London’s campaign, which will run over summer and autumn, will promote to Londoners the many ways there are to prevent HIV, including through the ‘combination prevention’ approach based on robust scientific evidence:

  • Condom use
  • Increased and more frequent testing for HIV
  • HIV treatment leading to an undetectable viral load, U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable, meaning people on effective treatment cannot pass on the virus)
  • Access to, and uptake of, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) (a pill that protects against HIV infection)

Cllr Evelyn Akoto, cabinet member for community safety and pubic health said: “There have been huge improvements across the capital when it comes to HIV prevention.  In Southwark we know that HIV is a real issue and we have done some fantastic work to see new diagnosis rates fall. Of course we are also aware that there is still much more to be done.

“Everyone should know their HIV status, both for your own health and your partners. Likewise, we need to continue to break down stigma that can surround HIV. Nobody should be made to feel shame because of a health condition and shame should certainly not be a barrier to accessing life saving treatment.”
 

Page last updated: 03 July 2019

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