Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths is backing a charity’s calls for a more robust approach to the commitment to eliminate new cases of HIV in Wales by 2030.
Ahead of World Aids Day, the Member of the Senedd for South Wales East is endorsing policy proposals put forward by the Terrence Higgins Trust Cymru to ensure that Wales meets its milestone target within 10 years.
The charity has called upon the Labour Government to increase testing, reduce late HIV Diagnosis, advance the rollout of prevention drugs, establish clear sexual health commitments for every health board in Wales and overhaul the data and HIV surveillance systems.
They have also called for the government’s help to support people living with HIV to live well and a focus on ending the stigma for people living with HIV.
Peredur said: “This annual event is a time to reflect on how things have progressed since the first positive case of HIV was reported 40 years ago and remember all those people who died from Aids-related conditions in the ensuing years.
“It is also an opportunity to see where we are going in terms of reducing HIV infection rates and what we need to do to reach the government commitment to eliminate new positive cases by 2030.
“I am backing the various steps put forward by the Terrence Higgins Trust Cymru as they will, in combination, bring us closer to achieving that important milestone which we will hopefully arrive at by 2030 in Wales.
“Reducing the stigma attached to HIV is also important. The suggestion of a national anti-stigma campaign for Wales is one I would welcome as it would challenge prejudice and promote a good understanding about what living with HIV means.
“While we have made significant progress over the last four decades in terms of tackling ignorance, there is still some way to go.”
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