British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on world leaders to publicly take an HIV test, after becoming the first sitting UK prime minister and G7 leader to do so on camera.
His office on Monday released footage of him completing a rapid home test at Downing Street on Friday, in support of a week-long nationwide initiative aimed at encouraging HIV testing across the United Kingdom.
The UK Health Security Agency estimates that around 4,700 people in England are living with undiagnosed HIV, with increased testing seen as a crucial step in identifying cases and providing treatment.
In December, Starmer reaffirmed his government’s commitment to eradicating new HIV infections in England by 2030. A detailed “HIV Action Plan,” outlining strategies to meet this target, is expected to be published later this year.
“I suppose my task now is to talk to prime ministers and leaders across the world and say, you too should do it in your own country,” Starmer told Metro newspaper after completing the test.
“If people test, they will know their status, it is better that people know,” he added in a statement released by his office.
“You can then get access to treatment, and that will also help meet our collective target to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.”
The nationwide testing initiative, organised by the Terrence Higgins Trust and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, has been an annual event in England since 2012.
Throughout the week, anyone in the UK can order a free HIV test, with two types of home testing kits available. One provides results within 15 minutes, while another “self-sampling” kit—also capable of testing for syphilis—requires sending a sample to a laboratory for analysis.
