- Keir Starmer becomes the first G7 leader to take a public HIV test on camera.
- The UK aims to end new HIV cases in England by 2030 with a new action plan.
- An estimated 4,700 people in England are living with undiagnosed HIV.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on world leaders to take an HIV test, after becoming the first sitting British prime minister and G7 leader to do so publicly on camera.
On Monday, his office released footage showing him completing a rapid home test at Downing Street last Friday, as part of a nationwide initiative aimed at promoting HIV testing.
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According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), around 4,700 people in England are living with undiagnosed HIV, making increased testing a crucial step in identifying cases.
In December, Starmer reaffirmed his government’s commitment to eliminating new HIV cases in England by 2030. A detailed “HIV action plan” outlining strategies to meet this goal is expected later this year.
“I suppose my task now is to talk to prime ministers and leaders across the world and say, you too should do it in your own country,” he told Britain’s Metro newspaper, immediately after completing the test.
“If people test, they will know their status, it is better that people know,” he added in comments released by his office.
“You can then get access to treatment, and that will also help meet our collective target to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.”
The week-long testing initiative, organized by the Terrence Higgins Trust and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, has been held annually in England since 2012.
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During this period, anyone across the country can order a free HIV test, with two types of at-home kits available.
One delivers results within 15 minutes, while the other, a “self-sampling” kit that also screens for syphilis, requires sending a sample to a laboratory for analysis.
