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Andy is a 48-year-old gay man who moved to south Wales
a year ago. He says: "I left London for a quieter life in Wales.
It's a beautiful country. But London is still at the cutting edge for
HIV."
There are mixed feelings about the kind of support you can get if you
are HIV positive in Wales. In Andy's case, he decided to stick with his
HIV treatment at Mortimer Market in London. Others too report the need
to get more specialised treatment outside of their local vicinity. And
it's not just treatment issues but attitudes that differ.
THT Cymru on a sunny day at a recent fundraiser on Swansea's marina
Does the Welsh gay community
accept HIV?
There's been a lot of movement in the right direction, explains THT Cymru's
manager David Lynch. (His organisation covers the Swansea area.)
"You see, the Welsh Assembly government wants to
portray Wales as a modern European country. Its stance on HIV is good.
It recognises that HIV has profound social, emotional and physical implications
for all those diagnosed with the virus."
But David points out: "One of the struggles of THT in Wales is how
to engage with the local gay community. There is a lot of stigma around
HIV on the Welsh gay scene."
There are an estimated 730 individuals with HIV in Wales, out of a population
of under 3,000,000 (June 2002's PHLS figures). This figure of one infection
in 4,000 people is only just over a third of the UK average, making Wales
one of the lowest-prevalence countries in Europe. But with large cities
like Bristol and Liverpool just beyond its borders, many Welsh people
still prefer to get their
treatment - and be counted - in England.
* Welcome to Wales
