Scottish Government Debate: World AIDS Day

Maree Todd S6M-07025 That the Parliament believes that, to mark World AIDS Day, everyone should commit to the goal of ending AIDS, and support the World Health Organization’s call to recognise and address the inequalities that are holding back progress; recognises that key to this is ensuring there is equalised access to essential HIV services for all; welcomes progress in recent years in the decline of HIV diagnoses in Scotland, and supports the ambition of ensuring there are zero transmissions in Scotland by 2030; notes the encouraging impact of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and that HIV incidence rates fell by 43% in a large cohort of men attending sexual health clinics following its introduction in Scotland; further notes that over 6,500 people have accessed PrEP in Scotland already, and endorses the widening access to ensure that everyone at risk of acquiring HIV is eligible to be prescribed PrEP; appreciates that everyone in society has a role to play in the goal of eliminating HIV transmission in Scotland, and commends the HIV Transmission Elimination Oversight Group’s recommended population-based approach of testing, education and stigma reduction, combined with prevention, specialist care and contact tracing. Jamie Greene S6M-07025.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-07025 in the name of Maree Todd (World AIDS Day), insert at end "; notes a rise in demand for access to appropriate sexual health services, and believes that timely access to such services is paramount in successful early detection, treatment and prevention strategies." Paul O'Kane S6M-07025.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-07025 in the name of Maree Todd (World AIDS Day), insert at end ", and calls on the Scottish Government to outline a clear timescale for eliminating HIV transmission in Scotland by 2030 and commit to providing the Scottish Parliament with an annual progress report."