Elton John was honored at a reception hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV/AIDS at the Speaker’s House today in recognition of his ongoing commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic, both personally and through the work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Image credit: Elton John AIDS Foundation
Earlier today, Victoria Atkins, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care outlined how the UK Government will expand the highly successful NHS HIV and Hepatitis Opt-Out Scheme to 46 new emergency departments across England . Expanding the program, from the current 33 regions to every high-prevalence region, could identify a significant proportion of the estimated 4,500 people living with undiagnosed HIV, prevent new transmissions and save more lives.
Addressing a packed House of Speakers, Elton John welcomed the further development of opt-out testing by the UK Government: “The Foundation and my partners have carried out a three-year (2018-2021) pilot in the South London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham . This pioneering approach has shown beyond doubt that the opt-out test works in A&E. Automated tests reach people sooner, meaning less HIV transmission, less disease, fewer deaths and, health economists estimate, £50m saved for the NHS. So to hear today from the Secretary of State that this project will be extended to every high HIV prevalence area… 46 new Accident and Emergency departments in local hospitals across England… more than doubling the number of HIV tests, is really wonderful news”.
He also shared his personal thoughts on the long battle to end the AIDS epidemic and called on all political leaders to do more: “Whoever wins the next general election can help end AIDS worldwide by 2030. Starting here at home In the UK, new HIV diagnoses have fallen by 46% since their peak in 2015.[1] We can be the first country in the world to defeat this awful virus. Playing our part, fulfilling the goal of the United Nations and showing other nations how it’s done.”
“In the 1990s, I visited many homes where people were dying of AIDS. I remember the helpless, suffocating feeling as they succumbed one after another, not knowing if they would ever end. These memories are etched in my soul and taught me a lot. I saw, as millions did, images of my friend Princess Diana publicly shaking the hand of a man dying of AIDS, and I realized that a simple act of compassion is a force to be reckoned with.”
“My Foundation was born the year after Freddy died. Spreading love and compassion was our compass. Leaving no one behind was our practice. 31 years later, we’ve achieved so much. We’ve raised almost half a billion pounds , funding thousands of programs around the world. We’ve funded almost every HIV charity in the UK and every major place in the NHS where you can get HIV treatment. We’ve reached 100 million people worldwide and saved 5 million lives. I Never Believed that my Foundation’s work would turn into a lifelong commitment, or that so many people would need our help.”
“I implore you not to waste the time you have been given as political leaders. Take action and push things a little further than you are comfortable with. And as you do, I can promise you this: I will be there with you. Fighting for equal access and Fair treatment. To give everything I can for the rest of my life to end HIV/AIDS. Why we must stay the course. I long to applaud a room like this once this epidemic is gone.”
With 39 million people worldwide living with HIV and 1.3 million people newly infected, Elton John also spoke of the need for the UK to do more internationally: restore the UK’s full commitment to the Global Fund for the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. , establishing new models of partnership and engagement and protecting civil liberties.
“Abandoning ending AIDS would not just be a failure for the 39 million people living with the disease. We would fail to prepare for whatever global virus comes next because we know that the fight against AIDS is pandemic preparedness in action. So we should increase our commitment to the Global Fund, not cut it. And if the government is serious about ending AIDS, I urge them to eatully restore the UK’s commitment to commit £1.46 billion in this current three-year cycle and ensure that the Global Fund is fully funded.”
World AIDS Day will be celebrated on the 1stSt As of December and despite advances in treatment, 630,000 people will die from AIDS-related illnesses in 2022. Globally, HIV rates are rising faster among young people than any other group, and more than half of people living with HIV are women and girls. Over nine million people do not have access to treatment that could save their lives, often because shame and stigma prevent them.
Sir Lindsay HoyleSpeaker of the House of Commons, he welcomed guests from all major political parties and leading HIV/AIDS organizations to the event and said: “It is an honor to host this reception for Elton John in recognition of his work to end HIV and AIDS Sir Elton has been a staunch supporter of the fight against HIV and AIDS for four decades. His efforts have helped destigmatize the disease, promote education and provide vital support to those affected, making him a true champion in the goal of ending AIDS.”
Florence Esshalomi MPCo-Chair of APPG HIV/AIDS, also welcomed the Government’s announcement and praised Elton John for his continued work: “We are delighted that the Government has today taken concrete steps to increase and normalize HIV testing in the UK. APPG believes that as MPs, we should play our part in tackling this epidemic and this is something we are calling for following the successful exemption of the exemption in extremely high prevalence areas. very real and significant impact, there is still a huge amount to be done to end the AIDS epidemic both here in the UK and abroad.”
Ann AshlettCEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, said: “The Elton John AIDS Foundation was founded by Elton at his kitchen table in Atlanta, Georgia in the 90s when all we could do for people living with AIDS was to provide food and comfort and ultimately end-of-life care. Thirty years later and the Foundation has raised more than $565 million in HIV/AIDS grants worldwide and funded more than 3,000 projects in more than 90 countries. Spreading love and compassion has always been our compass; we leave no one behind We are delighted with the UK Government’s announcement today to further expand opt-out testing – an approach we have piloted for the first time with our council partners of London in 2018. This policy will keep people in care, save lives and is a crucial step towards meeting the target of ending new cases of HIV in the UK by 2030.”
David FurnishChairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, said: “We have come so far towards an AIDS-free future and the UK Government’s decision to extend opt-out testing will ensure more people get the right care and treatment they need to live full and healthy. If politicians on all sides commit to the actions Elton John has outlined today, we have a real chance of achieving something incredible by becoming the first country to stop new HIV transmissions.”
Victoria AtkinsHealth and Social Care Secretary, said: “Less than three decades ago, HIV could have been a death sentence. It was often – and wrongly – seen as a source of shame and diagnoses were hidden from friends, family and society. thanks to effective treatments, it is possible to live a long and healthy life with HIV.
“The work of brilliant campaigners and charities, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation, whose efforts have helped us get to where we are today is rightly worth celebrating. As well as promoting prevention for all, as many people as we can diagnose, the more opportunity we have to end new transmissions of the virus and the stigma wrongly associated with it. This program, which improves people’s health and well-being, saves lives and money.”
Keir Starmerleader of the Labor Party, said: “The tireless work of campaigners, survivors, scientists, medical staff and others means that, for the first time, we can say that the end of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is on the horizon. We now have a world where HIV-positive people can live freely and love freely, something that once so many people were too afraid to even dream about. The incredible progress that has been made so far, resulting in the expansion of the NHS exemption testing for blood-borne viruses programme, should be widely celebrated.”
“Sir Elton John has been a steadfast voice championing this cause throughout his life. He has raised millions of pounds for frontline services and saved lives by breaking down the stigma that sees lives lost in darkness. We are forever grateful for his dedication to the public The service and its life-saving work. But if we are to leave no one behind, we still have a long way to go. A new Labor government will hit the ground running, because we must meet our target of ending new HIV cases in UK by 2030. That is why Labor will commission the update of the HIV Action Plan once we are in government.”
Winnie BianjimaUNAIDS Executive Director and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, said: “More than 40 million lives have been lost to AIDS. Even now, AIDS is claiming another precious life every minute. The AIDS pandemic is not over, but it can end Elton John has fought tirelessly for four decades to end this terrible disease and the injustices that drive it; now it’s up to politicians to act and implement the programs and policies needed to support communities both domestically and internationally to end AIDS for all.”
