Press Releases

Speaking ahead of World AIDS Day (1 December) the Scottish National Party’s Mr Pete Wishart MP, Member of Parliament for Perth & North Perthshire is asking local people to show support for people living with HIV, improve their understanding of the condition, and show their commitment to tackling HIV in Perthshire

Mr Wishart said:

"I am proud to wear a red ribbon to mark this year's World AIDS Day. With around 100,000 people living with HIV in the UK, we must do more to improve HIV prevention and testing, especially given 1 in 5 people with HIV remain undiagnosed, and almost half of people are still being diagnosed late.

"For people living with HIV in the UK one of the biggest challenges is still stigma, which is often the result of ignorance about HIV and unnecessary fear. Stigma also stops some people from taking an HIV test.

"This World AIDS Day I am joining forces with the National AIDS Trust's campaign to encourage more people in Perthshire to better understand HIV by learning five simple facts about living with HIV in the UK."

Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of the National AIDS Trust added:

"I am really pleased to see Pete Wishart using World AIDS Day to take a lead on this issue. Tackling HIV stigma, by encouraging more people to learn more about HIV, is important to improve the lives of people living with HIV, and to encouraging more people to get tested.

"Many people don't know what it is like to live with HIV and that if people test early and are on effective treatment they can live a normal lifespan and are much less likely to pass on HIV to others."