Tameside exceeds HIV transmission reduction targets almost a decade early

NEW TRANSMISSIONS of HIV has significantly reduced across Tameside and Greater Manchester with figures  exceeding international targets, thanks to the work of local sexual health teams and NHS initiatives across the region to increase access to HIV testing and provide improved treatment for people living with HIV.

New data around people living with HIV in the UK, released on World Aids Day (1 December), shows that Tameside and Greater Manchester have exceeded the target, nine years ahead of the 2030 ambition.

In 2014, UNAIDS published its report ‘Fast-Track - Ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030’, which set out the ambition for the world to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. As part of this ambition, Fast Track Cities were launched as cities have been heavily affected by the epidemic and have been at the forefront of responding to HIV.

In 2018 Greater Manchester launched as a Fast-Track City with all ten council leaders and the Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, signing up to the bold plan to end new HIV transmissions in Greater Manchester by 2030. This is often described as 95:95:95 target:

• 95% of people living with HIV to know their status
• 95% of people that know their status to receive treatment
• 95% of people receiving treatment to achieve an undetectable viral load.

To continue working towards zero new transmissions by 2030 early diagnosis across Tameside and Greater Manchester is key, with people  asked to test regularly, seek medical advice if they think they’ve been exposed and access effective treatment as soon as possible if HIV positive.

Having an undetectable viral load is the goal of HIV drug treatment, this is where the level HIV virus in the body is low enough to not be detected by a test. When a viral load has been undetectable for 6 months or more, it means the virus cannot be passed on through sex.

Cllr Eleanor Wills, Tameside Council Executive Member for Population Health and Wellbeing, said: “There are around 330 people living with HIV in Tameside and while there is still no cure an early diagnosis and very effective drug treatments allow most people with the virus to live long and healthy lives and not develop any AIDS-related illnesses.”

Testing is available at the following places:

• The Tameside sexual health clinic is the Locala Sexual Health Services, the Orange Rooms, 2nd Floor, Ashton Primary Care Centre, 193 Old Street, Ashton Under Lyne, OL6 7SR; phone: 0161 507 9460; email: orangerooms@locala.org.uk ;  website: www.locala.org.uk/services/sexual-health    
• Via the free national home testing service (for people aged 16 and over): https://freetesting.hiv. For people aged under 16, please contact Locala at the Orange Rooms.
• GP surgery
• The local substance misuse support agency Change Grow Live: My Recovery Tameside: 111-113 Old Street, Ashton-Under-Lyne, OL6 7RL; and 1st floor, Thornley house, Thornley Street, Hyde SK14 1JY. website: www.changegrowlive.org;  email:Tameside.Referrals@cgl.org.uk; phone: 0161 672 9420;
• An antenatal clinic, if you are pregnant.

For more information on local services as well as support living with HIV visit:  https://www.tameside.gov.uk/health/sexualhealth

For HIV testing, advice and support in Greater Manchester visit https://sorthiv.org.uk/ for Sort HIV.

For living with HIV support, visit https://ght.org.uk/ for George House Trust.