UK government launches £170 million HIV Action Plan to drive England towards zero new transmissions by 2030. The plan, unveiled today on World AIDS Day, focuses on people who have fallen out of treatment. Government estimates suggest around 5,000 people in England are no longer in HIV care, despite the fact that modern treatment enables people to live long, healthy lives and prevents onward transmission.
“We’re making progress – 95% of people living with HIV now know they have the virus,” said Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency. “But around 4,700 people remain undiagnosed, including one in three in Black African communities and higher rates of late diagnosis in older age groups.”
Operationally, the Action Plan extends opt-out HIV testing in emergency departments across high-prevalence areas such as London and Manchester. People having routine blood tests will be tested for HIV unless they choose to decline. Alongside this, the plan funds a national HIV prevention programme; anti-stigma training for hospital staff; and a £5 million digital pilot that lets at-risk users order home testing kits via the NHS App, receive results and connect to care entirely online.
The package, worth more than £170 million, also includes funding for formula milk for babies born to mothers living with HIV, to support safe infant feeding .
“On World AIDS Day, we honour both the memory of those we have lost and stand together with those living with HIV,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer , adding that the action plan, expanded opt-out testing and at-home tests are intended to make his pledge to end HIV transmissions in England by 2030 “a reality”.
Globally, no country has yet achieved zero HIV transmission across all routes at population level.