Hess
The minister advocates respectful HIV prevention
11/30/2022, 1:10 p.m
Wiesbaden (dpa / lhe) – Hesse Minister for Social Affairs Kai Klose (The Greens) is campaigning for a wide network of support services in the field of HIV prevention. In order for existing offers to be accepted, Klose said Wednesday in Wiesbaden on the occasion of World AIDS Day December 1, they must be of a low threshold, barrier-free and adapted to the needs of those affected. This must be done with respect for those affected, without taboos and without discrimination.
The Minister warned that people living with HIV continue to face discrimination and stigma in their daily lives. This puts psychological pressure on people, and they sometimes even avoid necessary medical treatments. Shame makes prevention, testing and treatment more difficult to access. These obstacles need to be addressed as part of global, national and regional HIV strategies.
The Minister of Social Affairs said HIV prevention should be understood as a cross-sectional task. It affects professional actors such as health services, educational institutions, immigration, municipalities, state and AIDS organizations and requires strong networks among them.
According to information provided by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Hesse expects a total of about 140 new infections in 2021, ten fewer than in the previous year. According to these figures, around 6,540 people in Hesse had HIV or AIDS at the end of 2021, 730 of them without a diagnosis.
