Fears dozens with HIV are unaware of having virus

A CHARITY boss has raised concerns that as many as 100 people living in Tayside could have HIV and not know it.

HIV support charity the Terrence Higgins Trust estimates that 453 people with the illness are living in the Tayside area, with 163 of them staying in Dundee.

Up to 100 of those are unaware of their HIV status because they have never had a test or have contracted the virus since their last test, according to the charity.

The Trust have today called for more people to come forward and seek help with their condition as they aim to shatter the stigma that still surrounds HIV. Based at Swan House, the Terrence Higgins Trust offers a range of services for people living with HIV, including free testing, financial support and counselling. Family members, friends and children are all able to receive support.

Across the UK, it’s estimated that 103,700 people are living with HIV with many still afraid to speak about their condition.

Robert McKay, national director of the Terrence Higgins Trust in Scotland, wants to see an end to stigma, not only in Tayside, but throughout Scotland.

He said: “The feedback we get from users is that there is still a lot of stigma and people are afraid to talk about it.

“The campaigns and the adverts in the 1980s were so scary for people.

“Stigma still comes from those adverts all those years ago.

“HIV still has a negative connotation and that’s a real shame because people can still have good, healthy lives.

“Things happen to people’s health all the time for one reason or another and they’re not treated with the same stigma as HIV is. Try as we might, it’s still there but we want to change that.

“We’re getting positive feedback from a lot of clients in Dundee about the services we provide. We want to go into schools and colleges and educate people about HIV.”

Last year, Glasgow comedian Scott Agnew was hailed for publicly declaring that he is HIV positive.

He received help from the Terrence Higgins Trust, which also has offices in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dumfries.

Robert added: “There are still a lot of people out there who think you can get it by sharing cups, which is impossible.

“We want to remind people of the risks and relay a positive message.”