Charity is calling for mass awareness campaign to eliminate HIV by 2030
Positive Life NI, Northern Ireland’s only dedicated HIV charity, has warned that declining public understanding of HIV is jeopardising a drive to eliminate the virus here by 2030.
Following the release of new data from the Department of Health, the charity is calling for increased efforts on public awareness, to ensure that the seriousness of an HIV diagnosis is understood, and that the public learn that a range of modern drug treatments can both treat and, in fact, prevent HIV transmission.
Positive Life says the Department of Health’s research findings expose a resurgence of outdated – and wholly incorrect – myths about HIV. The charity is raising the alarm that a lack of public awareness poses a threat to Northern Ireland’s progress towards the United Nations goal to end new diagnoses of HIV by 2030.
According to the Northern Ireland research findings for the year 2023-24:
Among 16-34 year-olds, almost one in five (18%) are not aware of HIV.
General awareness of HIV in Northern Ireland has dropped to 87%, down from 94% five years ago.
The highest level of awareness is among those aged 45-64 who grew up in the 1980’s when HIV and AIDS peaked and a mass public advertising campaign warned of the risks.
More than 1 in 10 (11%) think HIV can be passed through kissing, 5% think it can be transmitted by sharing a glass and 4% by sharing a toilet seat. Almost 40% believe it can be passed on by biting and 24% through spitting.
Turning to knowledge of modern treatments and protection against HIV:
Of those who have heard of HIV, only a quarter (26%) of all respondents know that a person on effective HIV treatment cannot pass the virus on to sexual partners — a principle known as U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable).
Just 17% are aware of a preventative medication (PrEP) proven to protect against acquiring HIV.
Positive Life says the data reflects a lack of public education and the absence of consistent, government-led awareness campaigns, particularly targeting younger people and communities most affected by HIV.
Jacquie Richardson, Chief Executive of Positive Life NI, said:
“Just when we’re on the cusp of wiping out HIV in Northern Ireland, there’s a risk that decades of progress will unravel because HIV has dropped off the public radar. We cannot end HIV transmissions by 2030 if one in five young adults here do not even know what HIV is.
“These figures are a wake-up call. It’s clear that the myths and misinformation around HIV are still alive and well. At this moment in time, more than ever, we need to keep HIV in the spotlight.
"Public awareness has stagnated. Without urgent action and appropriate investment, we risk falling short of the 2030 target – and failing another entire generation. We can’t afford to take our eye off the ball now."
The charity is urging the Health Minister to double down urgently on a region-wide effort to ensure HIV becomes a thing of the past. Jacquie Richardson believes the investment is a simple mathematical equation. She said,
“The cost of HIV treatment for one person over a lifetime can exceed £400,000. Currently, around 100 new patients a year go on the books of our health and social care system. Diverting the cost of medication for just one newly diagnosed individual into a health promotion and HIV testing campaign could make a massive impact on the drive to wipe out HIV here altogether. This is a clear case of investing in prevention now to avoid a manifold cost of treatment or cure for decades into the future.”