| The following are articles taken from the December Edition of Leat Street News. The full magazine can be downloaded here. The new edition will be available soon... |
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| Editorial |
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Issue 6 December 2009 |
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Hello all!! Its issue Number 6! While we are on that, apologies for running the last issue as issue 4, it was actually issue 5. Due to human error Issue 5 was out masquerading as issue 4. Special thanks to our readers for pointing that out to us. Its been an exciting last quarter with major developments taking place, I am happy to announce that we have now expanded our catchment area to include Enfield and Haringey. We also celebrated Black History month in October by holding workshops and concerts. World AIDS Day is upon us and this issue is dedicated to it. This year’s theme in the UK is HIV: Reality. In keeping with the realities of HIV, we discuss confidentiality, dealing with disclosure and the dilemmas that come with it.
The leat street activity picture wall is also back in this issue as promised so look out for your pictures. Thanks again for granting permission to publish your pictures. Have a great quarter!!!
Natasha Sakala
Editor
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| World Aids Day 2009 for the UK - HIV Reality |
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| According to the National AIDS Trust (2009) there are now over 80 000 people living with HIV in the UK and that new infections continue to increase every year. The Trust also highlights that over a quarter of the people living with HIV in the UK don’t know they are infected. World AIDS Day offers an opportunity for people in the UK and indeed the world over to be reminded about how HIV continues to affect people.
The UK World AIDS Day theme for this year is REALITY. The idea behind this is to encourage each one of us to tune into the realities of HIV which continue to affect everyone. Like many others that support the cause for HIV, we at LEAT will be commemorating World AIDS Day through a number of activities. One of the activities is in conjunction with the London Centre for Spirituality. LEAT will host an exhibition of its work and an evening of reflection for World AIDS Day. The evening will contain information, music, movement, readings and time for personal reflection for those affected by HIV.
The National AIDS Trust’s research has shown that public knowledge of HIV in the UK is declining and there is evidence of a worrying lack of understanding about HIV and its relevance in a UK context. The survey also revealed that 69% of people feel there is still a great deal of stigma in the UK around HIV. As we learnt in the last issue of leat street news, 1 in 3 people living with HIV report having experienced HIV related stigma and discrimination. For people to respect and protect themselves and others, they need to understand the facts and reality of HIV in the UK and indeed in the world at large.
For almost 20 years LEAT has been working in that reality by providing prevention, care and support to people in London affected by HIV.
Please join us at this years World AIDS Day celebrations to learn more about the realities of HIV, our work and ways you could contribute to support people affected by HIV. See page 4. |
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| News Bites!! |
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Obama lifts a ban on entry into US for HIV positive people - according to the New York times dated 30th October 2009 President Obama announced the end of a 22-year ban on travel to the United States by people who had tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS he said the restriction was “rooted in fear rather than fact.” At a White House ceremony, Mr. Obama announced that a rule cancelling the ban would take effect after a routine 60-day waiting period.
(New York times accessed 10/11/09)
GSK and Pfizer launch joint HIV venture - According Nick Fildes of Timesonline dated 3rd November 2009, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer, the pharmaceutical giants, have pooled their HIV-related activities in an independent company. Viiv Healthcare, to be based in London, and will focus solely on the HIV market, which has proved a tough sector for the two parent groups over the past few years. GSK, who will provide start-up costs, will be the major shareholder with an initial 85 per cent of the equity. Dominique Limet, the chief executive of the new company after stepping down as GSK’s head of personalised medicines, believes the drug sector has failed to address the needs of people with the condition over the past few years, particularly when developing drugs for children.
Despite great strides in the treatment of HIV over the past two decades, Dr Limet argued that infection rates are rising and that even when a patient has access to proper treatment, those with the virus live, on average, ten years less than people who are not infected. “This is unacceptable and we must stay relentless in the pursuit of new medicines,” he said.
(Timesonline accessed 10/11/09) |
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