Preppy boy: Why the UK government should do more to tackle HIV

I can’t say I was pleased when in January, health secretary Matt Hancock’s self-satisfied face appeared on Twitter so soon after the general election. I was hoping the cold weather might deter him from more public appearances but alas.

In his typical style, Hancock posted a video talking about the recent data from Public Health England that shows HIV transmissions have been on the decline in England – particularly amongst gay and bisexual men (GBM).

Indeed, without a shred of irony, Hancock stated that an ‘injustice’ was being reversed through the government’s efforts of reducing HIV transmissions by 73%.

Of course, without context, this figure sounds commendable, if not outright positive. The reduction in transmission rates comes from the rise in use of PrEP – a drug which is readily available in Scotland and has been attributed to reducing the risk of transmitting HIV by over 90%. Out of 2,000 people in Scotland, less than 0.25% contracted HIV after taking PrEP. Some experts say it’s 100% effective at stopping HIV transmission.

However, NHS England only started supplying PrEP in limited quantities through clinical trial sites - which now have major waiting lists - in 2017. And this was only after NHS England lost a high court battle regarding the commissioning of PrEP services.

The reason for NHS England’s complacency has been funding. Against my better judgement, I took a look at some of the opinions of Twitter users and regrettably found pockets of people who think that funding a proven HIV drug is somehow morally irresponsible.

It’s easy to see where these comments on social media are borne from. Take a look at the media coverage for topics relating to HIV and you’ll see hordes of articles talking about its impact on the LGBT+ community without any mention of its heterosexual impact.

For instance, many have argued that funding PrEP will reduce the rates of condom use amongst GBM communities. A valid concern, though it must be said that condom use is actually higher for gay and bisexual men compared to heterosexual males.

Sustaining condom use is of course important, but an awareness scheme that educates people about the need to use a condom alongside PrEP usage could be one answer to stemming any worries people have.

And it’s not like heterosexual communities wouldn’t benefit from a fully funded PrEP service. The report states how late stage HIV diagnoses are particularly bad amongst heterosexual men – perhaps the stigma of the disease stops this section of society from getting tested. 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s brilliant that less and less people are getting HIV, but when a clear and proven alternative is readily available, it seems hypocritical of the government to claim they’re doing all they can to stop the disease. In fact, read Hancock’s statement in the media and you’ll be forgiven for thinking that he’s solely responsible for helping tackle the rise in HIV.

So, thank you Matt for your unwavering commitment but you can do more.