By Anne-France White - 15th November 2006
The European commission has launched an HIV/Aids awareness campaign in a bid to stem the EU’s ongoing epidemic.
The campaign, entitled Aids – Remember me?, targets young people amid evidence showing that Europeans are less aware of the disease than four years ago.
Over 23,600 new cases of HIV infection were reported across the EU in 2005, with a doubling of reported cases in many countries since 1998.
The campaign involves a vote for the best HIV/Aids awareness clip and a screenplay contest for the most innovative 30-second video on Aids.
“It is important for all of us to remember this key message: Aids is still with us, so protect yourself,” emphasised EU health commissioner Markos Kyprianou.
The commission says the HIV epidemic “is actually growing in many of the EU member states” as well as in Russia and Ukraine.
Of particular concern are Estonia and Portugal, which both reported over 200 new HIV diagnoses per million people in 2005.
The majority of new infections (55 per cent) now occur through heterosexual contact, a threefold increase since 1998.
A recent EU-wide survey showed widespread ignorance about HIV/Aids, with 45 per cent of respondents convinced that they could get infected by donating blood to an HIV-positive person.
In addition, only half of respondents said they practice safe sex – less than in a 2002 survey.
“Many young Europeans have forgotten some basic public health messages about HIV/Aids," said Kyprianou.
"This commission campaign aims to raise awareness that Aids is on the rise again in Europe.”
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