'December 1st is WORLD AIDS DAY - this is a global campaign.  The wearing of a red ribbon is an act of remembrance for all those who have died since the disease first appeared in the 1980s.

There is still no cure, but Combination Therapy is now very effective and enables people to live long, productive and healthy lives.  Early intervention and treatment will produce the best results and testing is the key to this.  If you think you have been put at risk then have a test... This will be reassuring to you if it is negative, and it enables early intervention and treatment if it turns out to be positive.

We recommend that all sexually active gay and bisexual men get tested every year - like having an eye test or a dental check-up.  The other groups who are at increased risk are drug-users who share needles, people who have had unprotected sexual contact with anyone from the African continent and the partners of all these groups, whatever their sexuality.  We are all potentially effected and we all must take responsibility to protect ourselves and our loved-ones.

 
Jim Edwards, Sexual Health-HIV Outreach Worker commented; “Numbers of new diagnoses are not published for local areas, but we do know that in 2010 there were 39 Island residents who had been diagnosed with HIV - some receiving their care on the mainland and some receiving it here.  The island has one of the lowest rates of HIV in England. Men who have sex with men remain the group most at risk.”

“Free confidential HIV tests are now available from participating pharmacies, from your GP surgery or from the Sexual Health Service at St Mary's Hospital.  Don't delay - get tested - and remember, condoms will help protect you against all sexually transmitted infections including HIV.  All pharmacies will be able to direct you to a member of this scheme if they don't give the tests themselves.”

Further information about health services vist

www.iow.nhs.uk or www.nhs.uk .

www.worldaidsday.org