332% increase in new HIV diagnoses over past decade
A POLICY officer with a charity working with people affected by HIV says there has been a 332 per cent increase in new diagnoses in Northern Ireland over the past decade.
Clare Watson, Policy Officer, with Positive Life, told the Sentinel the group’s new strategy shows that Northern Ireland had the highest proportional increase in new diagnoses in the UK between 2000 and 2011. She made the comments in the wake of the Sentinel’s revelation last month, that there were 350 new cases of HIV in NI between 2007 and 2011.
She said: “Our strategy focuses on three key aims; support - to provide services, advice, signposting and support to people living with and affected by HIV; Prevention - to prevent the increase in HIV infection through training, education and awareness; and Action - to campaign and lobby to affect positive change for people living with and affected by HIV.”