Compiled
and edited
by Martin Flynn
New HIV: Africans overtaking gay men
page 3 of 6
contents
of issue 82
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Latest figures from the Public Health Laboratory Service
(PHLS) reveal that immigrants from Africa last year accounted for more
new HIV cases in Britain than gay men.
In 2001, 4,163 people in the UK were found to have HIV, of whom 1,338
were homosexual and more than 1,500 from Africa. Fewer than 200 cases
were attributable to heterosexual sex in Britain.
"The figures show that there were more newly diagnosed cases of HIV
among African immigrants than gay men for the first time," said Dr
Barry Evans of the Centre for Communicable Diseases Surveillance Unit.
"In the UK, we estimate that there are 33,500 people living with
HIV, of whom about 9,400 are thought to be undiagnosed," Dr Angus
Nicholl explained, adding: "Worryingly, there is no sign that the
problem is diminishing - in fact, the truth is completely the opposite."
The PHLS cited many reasons: increases in unsafe sex, the number of sexual
partners, a lower age for first sex, increasing levels of heterosexual
anal sex and payment for sex.
Gay men still remain the group at highest risk of acquiring HIV in the
UK. But among heterosexuals, over 70 per cent of new diagnoses are now
among people who are from or who have lived for many years in Africa.
Positive Futures (PF) - the partnership of five London HIV charities - has published a study into services for black and ethnic minority people with HIV. Pictured at the 'Access all Areas' launch in the Houses of Parliament are (L to R): Kay'e Balogun, PF's Black and Ethnic Minorities Development Worker, Tendai Ndanga of north London's Innovative Vision Organisation, Laura
Moffatt, Labour MP for Crawley and Andrew Little, PF's Director. For copies of the report, telephone 020 7564 2188.
