“The National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV” (2001) included reducing HIV stigma as one of its goals. The Department funded the Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health (MedFASH) who published in October 2009, “Tackling HIV Testing”, a resource pack for hospital staff which addresses the impact of stigma on accepting and offering an HIV test.
The Department has also contributed to the African HIV Policy Network’s “Changing Perspectives” campaign and the publication in June 2009 of HIV toolkits for African faith leaders which address issues linked to stigma.
This is additional to work funded following publication by the Department of “Tackling Stigma” in May 2007, which included a National AIDS Trust campaign on improving accurate press coverage of HIV and work with employers, as well as a booklet produced by NAM publications on “HIV Stigma and You” for people living with HIV (second edition published 2009).