HIV: Ending Transmissions

Lord Black of Brentwood Excerpts

Tuesday 1st December 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bethell (Con)]

My Lords, I have already precisely outlined some of our commitments to international funding. Two other areas where we contribute are, first, through our example: by marching resolutely towards the zero transmissions target, we set an important global example, which should not be underestimated. The second is the contribution of our science community, which has been profound and has contributed huge medical insights to the scientific progress on antiviral drugs and in the fight against AIDS.

[Lord Black of Brentwood (Con) [V]]

Does my noble friend agree that one of the biggest barriers to meeting the 2030 target is the stubbornly high rate of late diagnosis, which not only has serious repercussions for the individuals concerned but contributes significantly to health inequality? Does he support the following recommendation in the HIV Commission’s report:

“Every late diagnosis must be viewed as a serious incident requiring investigation … and a report produced to drive change in local health systems”?

[Lord Bethell (Con)]

My Lords, I noticed the recommendation that every late diagnosis should be regarded as a major contagion, reported and followed up by an authority such as PHE. This is something for PHE to consider for itself, but I will certainly write to it to raise the recommendation and ask it to respond to me.