This World AIDS Day, Monday 1 December, boroughs across south east London are working together to strengthen the HIV response and help end new HIV cases by 2030.
By pooling resources and expertise, Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Bexley and Bromley are taking practical steps to make prevention and care more accessible.
Lambeth residents can now get easier access to HIV prevention medication, with a new digital service comissioned by Lambeth Council. Pre exposure prohylaxis, or PrEP, is an HIV prevention medication in pill form. When taken correctly, PrEP can reduce the risk of getting HIV from sex by 99 percent.
Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Bromley, and Bexley have some of the most significant sexual health inequalities in London, marked by high rates of HIV and STIs, particularly among young people, MSM, and BME communities. Following user feedback, a major revamp of the region’s Find Sexual Health website aims to improve access to services, providing timely and efficient support to help bridge these gaps.
During HIV Testing Week – 10-16 February – Lambeth is joining others to encourage uptake of testing for HIV, share its benefits, and signpost residents to how they can get free and confidential testing.
Though fewer people are being diagnosed with HIV, late diagnoses remain an issue, and some individuals are still unaware they have the virus.