NICOLA Sturgeon is encouraging people across the country to get involved with HIV Scotland's home testing drive. 

Today, people around the world are celebrating World AIDS Day, a day for reflection and focusing on HIV.  

The First Minister reaffirmed the Scottish Government's commitment to "eliminating HIV transmission in Scotland by 2030" and said that £120,000 has been provided by the Scottish Government to make free home test kits available to anyone in the country. 

Glasgow Times: [Photograph: Elaine Livingstone] [Photograph: Elaine Livingstone]

She said: "On World AIDS Day we remember all those who have lost their lives to AIDS-related illness over the past 40 years. 

"Today is also an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to eliminating HIV transmission in Scotland by 2030, and to reflect on the significant progress we have already made in the treatment and prevention of HIV.

"In October, Scotland became the first country in the UK to authorise an injection to manage HIV, giving those with the condition a choice about the treatment that’s right for them.

"However, the more people who find out their HIV status and go onto treatment, the more HIV transmission can be prevented.

"That’s why the Scottish Government has provided £120,000 to make free home test kits available for anyone in Scotland."

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This year marks 40 years since the onset of the HIV pandemic.

The official theme for World AIDS Day 2021 from UNAIDS is 'End inequalities. End AIDS. End pandemics.'

This year HIV Scotland's theme is 'Test. Treat. Eliminate.'

The charity initially launched the home testing kits from HIV Self-Test Scotland in April 2020 as NHS sexual health services and laboratory testing were under pressure from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, it is launching a year-long drive to encourage Scots to know their HIV status by using the kits. 

So far, 9,865 testing kits have been delivered to homes across the country, supporting people to know their status and get the help, support, and advice available as well as raising awareness. 

HIV Scotland CEO, Alastair Hudson is HIV positive himself and is keen to paint an "accurate picture" of HIV in Scotland. 

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The 53-year-old said: "I take one pill a day and have my blood tested twice a year. I am in rude health. We are a far cry from the stigma and injustice so beautifully portrayed in ‘It’s a Sin’ which captured the scale of the loss we experienced in the 80’s. 

 "Perceived as the gay man’s plague, it was as much a fight for human rights as it was to get medical support, treatment, and care.

"The reality was in fact that it affected a much wider community including sex workers, injecting drug users, new entrants to the UK, and men that have sex with men that might not identify as gay. It was absolutely brutal!

 "However, times have changed dramatically and once again, Scotland has led the way in innovation. 

"We were the first country in the UK to offer a daily course of antiretroviral drugs, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) back in July 2017, which when taken by HIV-negative people to protect themselves from infection. 

 "The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) recently licensed Cabotegravir (Vocabria), in combination with rilpivirine - the first-ever long-acting injectable treatment for HIV, an alternative to the current daily pill-base regimen, reducing treatment from tablets 365 days a year to only six injections a year! This is another great tool in our armoury, in our fight against HIV." 

Home testing kits can be ordered HERE.