Hackney supports World AIDS Day
This Worlds AIDS Day, Friday1 December, Hackney Council is urging everyone in the borough to unite together in support of the fight against HIV and HIV stigma.
The Mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville was himself tested on the day by the Council commissioned Homerton Sexual Health Services to help raise awareness of testing and to encourage other residents to take steps to know their own HIV status. There are numerous pop up testing stations that are taking place across the borough as well as a web service where residents can order home testing kits.
To help tackle HIV stigma, Postive East, who run some of the other pop-up clinics in Hackney, are promoting the message U = U, which stands for Undetectable = Untransmissible.
U=U is a powerful message in tackling HIV stigma which is still all too prevalent, affecting the lives of people living with HIV and our work to reduce transmission. The simple fact is that people can’t pass on HIV when they are taking modern HIV medication and have an undetectable viral load.
It is a message that we want our residents to know and understand, along with the many other ways they can reduce the risk of HIV transmission including regular testing, using condoms and now PrEP. This is why I’m proud that Hackney Council is leading the way and supporting the pan-London ‘Do It London’ campaign and why I continue to personally champion HIV awareness and fight stigma this World AIDS Day.
In addition, to help raise awareness on World AIDS Day the Mayor met with Homerton Hospital sexual health clinic and HIV teams, last week took part in the Positive East Red Run with Cllr Jonathan McShane, joined East London Council leaders in Waltham Forest to make a joint World AIDS Day statement on HIV and AIDS, and switched on the Rio Christmas lights with featured a World Aids Day themed tree, as part of Dalston’s annual Christmas illuminations.