DECEMBER 1 is World AIDS Day. To mark the day, HIV specialists in Northamptonshire are keen to remind people of some of the most important facts about HIV/AIDS and HIV services in the county.
More people than ever before are living with HIV in the UK.
Dr Mohamed Ghanem, HIV consultant with Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: “There are around 650 people in Northamptonshire living with HIV and we are expecting this number to grow. We predict that there will be at least 80 new cases of HIV diagnosed in the county every year.
Health specialists suspect that the real figures for HIV are probably even higher.
The Health Protection Agency suspects that as many as many as 25 per cent of all people who have HIV don’t know this and haven’t yet been diagnosed,” said Dr Ghanem. “This is why it is so important to be tested if you might have been in contact with the virus – especially if you have had unprotected sex with someone whose sexual history you don’t know.”
HIV can affect anyone.
“Men who have sex with men are still the group most at risk of HIV, but it isn’t just gay men,” said Dr Ghanem. “A third of people with HIV in the UK are women, and in 2007 more than 700 young people under the age of 24 were diagnosed. Anyone who has sex without a condom or shares needles when injecting drugs is at risk of HIV.”
HIV is not a death sentence.
“Although there isn’t a cure for HIV, modern treatments have come a long way,” said Dr Ghanem. “People diagnosed with HIV today can have a normal life expectancy and live healthy and productive lives. People should not be afraid to have an HIV test – the earlier treatment starts, the better the outcome for patients.”
Modern HIV tests are quick and reliable.
“Samples are tested more than once to make sure there are no mistakes,” said Dr Ghanem. “We can carry out a reliable test within a month of possible exposure to the virus. And if you have your test at one of our clinics, it costs you nothing.”
It is important to know your HIV status.
“Knowing early if you have HIV has important benefits,” said Dr Ghanem. “It means we can evaluate you for treatment even before your symptoms appear – and the earlier you start treatment the more effective it is. And if you know you are infected, you can help to prevent passing the virus on to others by practicing safer sex."
HIV is most often spread through unprotected sex or sharing injecting equipment. “It is a myth that HIV can be spread through everyday contact such as kissing or sharing utensils,” said Dr Ghanem. “In the UK, you will only become infected if you have unprotected sex with someone who has HIV or if you share a needle or injecting equipment.”
Never take unnecessary risks.
“You cannot tell by looking at someone if they have HIV,” said Dr Ghanem. “It is also dangerous to assume that your partner will tell you if they have HIV – after all, they might not even know. So, always using a condom is the safest way to protect against HIV.”
Your test results are completely confidential.
“Your test results are completely confidential,” said Dr Ghanem. “Northamptonshire Healthcare is not permitted to reveal your personal details or test results to anyone without your permission, except under the most exceptional circumstances. We do recommend that people with HIV tell their partners, if they possibly can, but we appreciate that this isn’t always easy.
We are here to help and support them in this.”
Finding out your HIV status is easy.
“It is very easy to get an HIV test in Northamptonshire,” said Dr Ghanem. “We hold clinics every day, Monday to Friday, in Northampton and Kettering, where people can have a test for HIV or any other sexually transmitted infection. We also hold satellite clinics in Brackley and Corby. The tests are free and confidential, and people can either drop-in or book an appointment. If the results show that you are infected, we also offer comprehensive treatment and support locally at the Summers Unit, which is based at Northampton General Hospital."
Northamptonshire Healthcare’s main sexual health departments are at the Ashwood Centre for Sexual Health, St Mary’s Hospital, London Road, Kettering, and the Department of Sexual Health, Area R, Northampton General Hospital. Call 01536 410647 or 01604 637203 for appointments and more information about local sexual health, HIV and contraceptive services, or visit: http://www.nht.nhs.uk/.
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