Staff from the Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) Clinic – or Sexual Health Clinic – at Noble’s Hospital are holding an open day on Saturday, 30 November to mark World AIDS Day, which falls on 1 December each year.  The GUM Clinic, on the ground floor of Noble’s Hospital, will be open on a drop-in basis between 11.30am and 2.30pm with staff on hand to provide advice as well as offering information leaflets and posters, quizzes, prizes and refreshments.
 
Member for Health Services, Dudley Butt MLC, said: “This is an important initiative in not only raising awareness about HIV/AIDS but also in ensuring that information is accessible to the public and, at the same time, helping to further reduce the stigma of sexually transmitted disease, in particularly HIV/AIDS.
 
“In terms of treatment and support, things have moved on considerably since the HIV/AIDS was first recognised in 1981, and although it’s still as important as ever that the messages of prevention are taken seriously, the treatments available and the prognosis for those with HIV/AIDS has been revolutionized.  I am sure this event will be welcomed by those who want to find out more about the support available for those who are worried about or who have HIV/AIDS.  I am delighted that staff have worked to develop this initiative and am grateful for their effort.”
 
HIV/AIDS stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and is predominantly spread in both heterosexual (straight) and homosexual (gay) men and women through having sex without using a condom.  HIV is generally transmitted through exchanging bodily fluids during sexual activity, and the virus attacks the body’s immune system, weakening its ability to fight infections and disease.  AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection when the body can no longer fight life-threatening infections.  Although it is estimated that 95% of cases of HIV in the UK occur from sex without a condom, the sharing of infected needles and other injecting equipment in drug use can also result in the virus being passed on.
 
There is presently no cure for HIV, but treatments developed over the past thirty years mean that most people with the virus can live a long and healthy life.  If caught early enough, treatment can prevent HIV becoming AIDS in the majority of people.  The National AIDS Trust, which aims to transform the UK’s response to HIV is emphasising five facts about the virus and syndrome in the UK:
 
1.    People living with HIV live a normal life span if diagnosed and treated in time
2.    There is no job which someone can’t do specifically because they have HIV
3.    Treatment can mean that people living with HIV are no longer infectious – treatment can reduce infectiousness by 96%
4.    Men and women living with HIV can become parents of a HIV-free baby – less than 1% of babies born to a HIV-positive mother in the UK are HIV-positive themselves
5.    Despite this, people living with HIV still face stigma and discrimination – one in three people living with HIV have faced discrimination.
 
It is estimated that around 100,000 people in the UK are currently living with HIV/AIDS, and 34 million globally with more than 25 million people having died from the virus between 1981 and 2007, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.  World AIDS Day is an opportunity for the public to learn the facts about HIV/AIDS and put that knowledge into action.
 
The only way to find out if someone has HIV is for a specific blood test to be carried out.  This can be arranged anonymously in complete confidence by the GUM Clinic at Noble’s Hospital, as Amanda Dawson Clinical GUM Nurse explains: “Although we continue our drive to reduce the stigma associated with sexually transmitted disease and in particular HIV/AIDS, we recognise that this is an extremely sensitive issue for many people, which needs to be handled delicately with the appropriate support, understanding and compassion.  For that reason our service is run in the strictest of confidence.  For example, all of our clinical records are kept separate from regular hospital notes and remain strictly confidential.  In addition to this we have our own secure IT system.  Samples sent for testing are identified by a PIN number to ensure that a patient’s personal details remain anonymous outside of the GUM Clinic.  Despite embarrassment or nerves, the important thing is to take responsibility for your own health and wellbeing.  If someone is concerned, all they need to do is get in touch and we’ll offer support and advice from there on out, whether it’s about HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
 
“We don’t run a drop-in clinic, instead we opt to run specific clinic times, with appointments available to anyone, of any age, via phone by calling 650710 whether that’s for confidential advice or a test for STIs.  Anyone who thinks they may be at risk from HIV should contact us as early as possible.  We can offer emergency anti-HIV medicine called Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) which can stop someone from becoming infected, but it must be started within three days of coming into contact with the virus.  Even after three days it’s important to make contact as soon as possible, as the earlier HIV is detected and treatment started the better the outcome.  But it’s important to remember that the blood test is the first step and that in many cases, HIV will not be present.”
 
Dr Debashis Mandal, the Island’s visiting Genito-Urinary Medicine Consultant who is based at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “I am delighted to be taking part in this initiative to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, World AIDS Day and the GUM Clinic’s services in the Isle of Man.  For many, the topic of STIs and HIV/AIDS in particular remains taboo, and discrimination and a lack of understanding amongst the general public is an ongoing issue.  The time for action is now – education and openness are both vital in addressing the spread of HIV/AIDS and maintaining the emphasis on the importance of prevention – such as condom use or abstaining from sex – not to mention highlighting the treatment and support available for those with HIV/AIDS.  I will be on the Island for the open day and as well as this event for the public, we’ll also be offering a presentation to staff at Noble’s Hospital so that they can find out more.”
 
As well as the Island’s GUM Clinic, advice is also available from GP Practices and the Family Planning Clinic on 642186.  The Crash Test Tim website has a dedicated GUM Clinic section with videos on how the service works, how to find it, and a tour of the facilities which can be found at crashtest.im/sex-health/gum-clinic.  Specific advice and support on HIV/AIDS is available online from the Terrance Higgins Trust at www.tht.org.uk and the National AIDS Trust at www.nat.org.uk.  The Island also has a local support group, the Isle of Man HIV Support Group, which has a Facebook group at www.facebook.com/IomHivSupportGroup.  More information about World AIDS Day can be found at www.worldaidsday.org.