Testing Week & World AIDS Day 2025

Testing Week & World AIDS Day 2025

European HIV and Hepatitis testing week will be celebrated this year between the 17^th and 24^th of November 2025. It leads up to World AIDS Day, which is always held on the 1^st of December; this year on Monday 1^st December 2025.

By raising awareness about the benefits of testing for HIV and hepatitis, more people become knowledgeable about their risks, understand that there is effective treatment available and are aware of their HIV and/or hepatitis status.

The European Testing Week’s annual theme for 2025 is focused on increasing testing and linkage to care among migrants and mobile populations. It provides an opportunity to put focus on the barriers that prevent migrants from accessing the services they need and that have contributed to an increase in HIV diagnoses among migrant populations in the last 10 years.

Testing week offers NHS Lanarkshire and partners the opportunity to work together and raise awareness about the benefits of, and accessibility of testing. In the hope that more people are informed about maximising positive sexual health and to understand that effective treatment is available and where to access this.

Testing is offered by NHS Lanarkshire across a number of sexual health clinics throughout Lanarkshire. You can also order home self-sampling kits, which are bookable online via the Lanarkshire Sexual Health website. These are free, confidential and easy to use. If you are eligible, you can also order a free HIV self-test online through Terrence Higgins Trust (THT).

The most recent report from Public Health Scotland (PHS) shows that up until 31 December 2024, a total of 6467 people were recorded as being diagnosed and living with HIV in Scotland. It is estimated that there are around 500 people living in Scotland who have HIV but have not been diagnosed, making testing very important.

In 2024, 375 new HIV-positive results were recorded in Scotland and of these, 125 were first ever diagnoses and 250 had been previously diagnosed elsewhere but were newly reported in Scotland during this period. Of the 125 first ever new diagnoses recorded 59 (47%) were heterosexually acquired and therefore the largest proportion. 47 (38%) were among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.

HIV overall continues to disproportionately affect men who have sex with men, as well as individuals of black African ethnicity. However, HIV can affect anyone and there are still people who have HIV but don’t know it – making access to and availability of testing vital.

The red ribbon is the international symbol of HIV awareness, support for people living with HIV and the acknowledgement of so many lives lost over the last 50 years. It is a simple and powerful way to challenge stigma and prejudice around HIV and shows support for people living with HIV. HIV positive individuals who are on effective treatment can become undetectable, meaning HIV cannot be transmitted to another person through sex. The message U = U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) demonstrates the huge steps forward in treatment.

World AIDS Day is an opportunity for us to raise awareness with both staff and members of the public about HIV and AIDS and directly challenge and address associated stigma. It exists to shine a light on the real experiences of people living with HIV today, while celebrating the strength, resilience and diversity of the communities most affected. It is a moment to inspire the leadership needed to create a future where HIV doesn’t stand in the way of anyone’s life. One way to do this is to watch and share the national campaign, developed by THT, focussing on the key message “stigma is more harmful than HIV”.

This World AIDS Day, the theme focuses on “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.”

As we remember those we’ve lost to HIV, join with our community to promise, pledge and take a stand against stigma for people living with HIV – because it’s more than a ribbon, World AIDS Day | Terrence Higgins Trust

Show your support for World AIDS Day – wear a red ribbon.