World AIDS Day 2012 - message by PM David Cameron

[0:00]As we mark World AIDS Day, I want to add my voice once again to all those who are working so hard to raise awareness of AIDS, to challenge stigma and to support those living with HIV to have full, productive and happy lives. Thanks to effective treatment and the brilliant care of our NHS, an early diagnosis means the outlook for most people today with HIV in the UK is a good one. But some 25,000 people in the UK do not know they have it, are not benefiting from treatment and are increasing the risk of passing the virus on. And this means up to 600 people a year could be dying from a preventable, treatable condition. So we need to use this World AIDS Day to urge people to get a test and know their HIV status. We must also work together to fight the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS. 30 years ago a young man who had worked in Parliament lay dying in a hospital bed. His doctors didn't know what was wrong with him and his partner had the hospital bed curtain shut in his face as he wasn't considered next of kin. A group of his grieving friends came together and created a charity that bears his name. The Terrence Higgins Trust. Together with the National AIDS Trust and the Food chain, which both celebrate their 25th anniversaries this year, British charities have not just challenged prejudice in the UK, they've been at the forefront of developments around the world. As a nation, we should be proud of their work, and on this World AIDS Day, let us pledge to work with them and redouble our efforts to win the fight against HIV and against AIDS in Britain.