World AIDS Day 2015: David Cameron's message

Prime Minister David Cameron's message to mark Word AIDS Day. "30 years ago, being told you had HIV or AIDS was like being given a death sentence. Today, things are different. With incredible medical advances, those diagnosed early can expect to live as long as someone without the disease. That progress is remarkable. But there are still problems we need to tackle. Last year, more than 6,000 people in Britain were told they had the disease. And there are some, a fifth of all those living with it, who don’t even know they’re infected. That’s why we recently launched our first national HIV home sampling service, and a half a million pound prevention innovation fund. Alongside access to good quality services, there is another big solution: education. Educating people about how to protect themselves. Educating them about the realities of HIV and AIDS, busting the myths that lead to people being discriminated against. If we can make this progress in Britain, just think what we can do for people living with HIV and AIDS around the world. Last year, 1.2 million people died from the disease. But it really doesn’t have to be this way. The United Nations have a goal to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. That means no new infections, no discrimination and no AIDS-related deaths. So this World AIDS Day, let’s get right behind that goal, let’s be part of it. Because in our lifetime, we’ve seen HIV and AIDS go from a death sentence to a manageable condition. I want us to see a day where this epidemic ends, once and for all." Follow us on: www.gov.uk/number10 www.twitter.com/Number10gov www.facebook.com/10DowningStreet