AN ADVERTISING campaign is underway to raise awareness of the late diagnosis of HIV in Croydon.
Posters and billboards have been put up across the borough to promote how early screening can improve patients' prospects.
The campaign follows stark figures which show the number of people with the virus in Croydon has doubled in the last decade, from one in every 300 in 2002 to one in every 170 in 2011, the latest available figures.
Nearly 1,100 people in Croydon have Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a condition which weakens and eventually destroys the body's defence system.
More than half were diagnosed late, risking decreased life expectancy and a greater of passing the condition.
Speaking of about the campaign, Dr David Phillips, clinical lead for sexual health at Croydon Health Services, said: "HIV is treatable, with an excellent long term prognosis, especially if diagnosed early.
"Unfortunately in Croydon, too many people end up testing too late, by which time they have already become unwell.
"They can still be helped but earlier testing would have dramatically reduced their risk of suffering ill health and passing on HIV to others."
Croydon Health Services' health centre on London Road offers free and confidential HIV testing.
In addition, people are encouraged to have an HIV test at the Acute Medical Unit at Croydon University Hospital as part of their normal set of tests.
Earlier this month the National Aids Trust (NAT) called on the council to allocate a fair share of the public health budget, which it assumes responsibility for from April, to HIV awareness. The figures for the prevalence of HIV in Croydon are taken from a Health Protection Agency Report published in November 2012 and concerns data from 2011. The rate was calculated using the number of known patients and the estimated figure of people who have the virus but are not receiving treatment, and use Office of National Statistics population data rather than the 2011 Census, which recorded a significant growth in the number of people living in the borough.
Posters and billboards have been put up across the borough to promote how early screening can improve patients' prospects.
The campaign follows stark figures which show the number of people with the virus in Croydon has doubled in the last decade, from one in every 300 in 2002 to one in every 170 in 2011, the latest available figures.
Nearly 1,100 people in Croydon have Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a condition which weakens and eventually destroys the body's defence system.
More than half were diagnosed late, risking decreased life expectancy and a greater of passing the condition.
Speaking of about the campaign, Dr David Phillips, clinical lead for sexual health at Croydon Health Services, said: "HIV is treatable, with an excellent long term prognosis, especially if diagnosed early.
"Unfortunately in Croydon, too many people end up testing too late, by which time they have already become unwell.
"They can still be helped but earlier testing would have dramatically reduced their risk of suffering ill health and passing on HIV to others."
Croydon Health Services' health centre on London Road offers free and confidential HIV testing.
In addition, people are encouraged to have an HIV test at the Acute Medical Unit at Croydon University Hospital as part of their normal set of tests.
Earlier this month the National Aids Trust (NAT) called on the council to allocate a fair share of the public health budget, which it assumes responsibility for from April, to HIV awareness. The figures for the prevalence of HIV in Croydon are taken from a Health Protection Agency Report published in November 2012 and concerns data from 2011. The rate was calculated using the number of known patients and the estimated figure of people who have the virus but are not receiving treatment, and use Office of National Statistics population data rather than the 2011 Census, which recorded a significant growth in the number of people living in the borough.
