The United Kingdom Government's Department of Health (DoH) has published its Action Plan on HIV-related stigma and discrimination and is seeking comments, especially from people living with or affected by HIV.
The report, which can be downloaded here from the Department of Health website (scroll to the bottom the of the page for the download at the DoH website), identifies areas where the DoH can intervene in helping to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination. These areas include:
- Integrating action to address HIV stigma and discrimination into existing HIV health promotion contracts for gay men and African communities.
- Making available accurate information about HIV and dispelling myths about its transmission.
- Helping to empower people with HIV to challenge discrimination and understand their rights and entitlements.
- Helping to ensure that people with HIV are involved in policy making at national and local level.
- Continuing to work with other government departments on issues which impact upon people with HIV.
The need for action to tackle the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV was first identified in 2001 by the DoH's National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV.
In the document's foreword, Caroline Flint, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Public Health, and Baroness Gould, Chair of the Sexual Health & HIV Independent Advisory Group write: "Work in developing this action plan has been taking place against a background of major changes within the NHS and the Department of Health, legislative changes, and new ways of working. Most recently, the public health White Paper, Choosing Health, has signalled a much higher profile for sexual health and an emphasis on health promotion that aims to help strip away the barriers that stop people from making healthy choices in their lives. HIV stigma and discrimination is one such barrier.
"In developing this plan," they continue, "and speaking to stakeholders it became clear at an early stage that HIV stigma and discrimination are issues which cut across Government policies. This action plan acknowledges the need for cross-government working, whilst focusing on action that can be taken by the Department of Health, the wider health service and the voluntary sector."
In particular the DoH would like to know the following:
- Are there additional actions that the DoH should address, and if so, how?
- Are there additional actions that HIV community and voluntary organisations should address, and if so, how?
Comments should be emailed to Sexual-Health-&-HIV@dh.gsi.gov.uk or posted to: Jonathan Fraser, Department of Health, Wellington House, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London SE1 UG by 31st March 2006.
The National AIDS Trust (NAT), the UK's leading independent policy and campaigning voice on HIV and AIDS, will be publishing their response to the DoH's plan on their website next week, prior to the March 31st deadline.