The National Health Service has recently announced a thirty-six percent funding cut to services attempting to prevent new cases of HIV amongst gay men in London. The news has not been welcomed by human rights activists, one being Peter Tatchell from Outrage.

“None of the local NHS Trusts have said they will reinstate the cuts,” Mr Tatchell said.

“There have been some private assurances that funding will be restored but no official or public announcement.

“Moreover, these assurances are based solely on a recommendation that local NHS trusts reverse the reduction in funding. But the local trusts are semi-autonomous and under no obligation to implement the recommendations.”

Although a response has been made that HIV services funding will again be reviewed, activists remain sceptical whether funding cuts will be reinstated.

International AIDS charity Avert estimated that by June 2007, almost 40,000 people have been diagnosed in the UK with HIV following male-to-male sex, equating to more than 40 percent of total diagnoses.

Tags: hiv