Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled funding aimed at achieving the goal of eliminating new HIV transmissions in England by 2030.
The Prime Minister has committed £27 million to expand a programme in emergency departments, where blood tests are automatically screened for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C unless patients choose to opt out.
Speaking at a Downing Street reception, he reaffirmed the ambition to end new HIV cases in England within the next few years. A comprehensive HIV action plan is scheduled for release in the summer of 2025.
G0vernment data has revealed that during the first two years of this initiative, 34 emergency departments conducted 2,018,943 HIV tests, 1,535,707 Hepatitis C tests, and 1,221,961 Hepatitis B tests.
UKHSA recently released their latest HIV statistics, revealing that the number of people diagnosed with HIV in England has risen by up to 15% (excluding those previously diagnosed abroad) from 2022 to 2023.
