詹姆斯·沃頓 / 2023 年 6 月 2 日 / 部隊新聞

英國主要愛滋病毒慈善機構呼籲英國國防部承諾支持全英國範圍內到 2030 年結束新傳播的承諾。

英國國防部 (MOD) 的最新數據顯示，英國軍隊中有 83 名愛滋病毒呈陽性的人員。

自從解除了對攜帶病毒的人員在武裝部隊服役的自動禁令以來，已經過去了 12 個月。

國防部所披露的數字幾乎沒有提供任何背景信息，但眾所周知，這些人當中的大多數在禁令結束前就已經在服役，而且武裝部隊也了解他們的愛滋病毒狀況。

• 政策改變後，愛滋病毒不再是武裝部隊職業生涯的障礙

•「我感到幸運」：愛滋病毒呈陽性的海軍軍官談「重大」國防政策變化

它確實顯示武裝部隊中已知的愛滋病毒盛行率遠低於對英國普通人口的最新估計。

通常，愛滋病毒呈陽性的人員是在軍隊之外被診斷出來的，這意味著該數字僅包括那些透過基地醫務人員在部隊一級檢測呈陽性的人員，或已向指揮系統透露自己是愛滋病毒呈陽性的人員。

一名軍方消息人士告訴《部隊新聞》，有些人員尚無法與指揮系統談論自己的愛滋病毒感染狀況，這顯示軍隊中愛滋病毒陽性者的真實人數可能比記錄的 83 人還要多。

作為對這些數據的回應，英國愛滋病領域最有影響力的人物之一警告英國國防部，它需要像取消禁令一樣，努力消除軍隊中愛滋病毒的恥辱。

泰倫斯·希金斯信託基金首席執行官理查德·安吉爾表示：「令人欣慰的是，由於並沒有禁止性法律和規則阻止人們因愛滋病毒感染而加入武裝部隊，並在武裝部隊中取得進步，因此，隨著它們被沖走，人們會更容易受到影響。願意站出來談論他們的愛滋病毒狀況」。

「其中一些人們將是第一次進行測試。但至關重要的是，一些人正在公開他們已經知道很長一段時間的狀態」。

「但對我們來說，這不僅僅是不再有過時的規則，實際上是國防部和我們所有的服務機構將其帶到一個積極的地方，以鼓勵我們知道需要進行的那種測試」。

他補充說：「為愛滋病毒感染者提供支持，特別是同伴支持，讓他們可以互相支持」。

自解除對攜帶病毒的人員在武裝部隊服役的自動禁令以來已經過去了 12 個月。

安格爾先生還呼籲英國國防部承諾支持全英國範圍內到 2030 年結束新的愛滋病毒傳播的承諾。

由於法律上沒有強制個人披露有關其健康的敏感信息（例如愛滋病毒診斷），因此軍隊通常只有在個人決定通知其指揮系統時才會知道診斷結果。

但在武裝部隊內部，一些人已經站出來公開地談論愛滋病毒感染者的生活。

2022 年 12 月，奧利弗·布朗少校因其在皇家海軍中身為愛滋病毒陽性者之榜樣的工作而被列入新年榮譽名單。

人們認為，像布朗少校這樣備受矚目的例子正在為創造一個改善的環境做出貢獻，這個環境更適合討論愛滋病毒檢測和愛滋病毒感染者等話題。

國防部發言人表示：「我們於 2022 年 6 月對愛滋病毒政策進行了修改，取消了對愛滋病毒感染者的醫療限制，並允許他們在武裝部隊服役」。

「因此，我們看到了更多關於愛滋病毒的坦誠討論，並且更多的服務人員願意在接受檢測時進行檢測」。

奧利弗·布朗少校因其在皇家海軍中身為愛滋病毒陽性者之榜樣的工作而被列入新年榮譽名單。

「隨著知識的增加和隨後的治療，個體表現出無法檢測到的愛滋病毒載量，這意味著該病毒無法傳播給其他人，從而減輕了對未來關係和正常生活影響的擔憂」。

「我們鼓勵所有人員採取正確的醫療措施，讓他們過上幸福和正常的生活，並希望看到這種積極影響和看法隨著其他長期、穩定的情況而改變」。

今年五月，北約盟國法國宣布將追隨英國的腳步，終止對愛滋病毒呈陽性人員在軍隊服役的禁令。

針對這一消息，法國八個不同的愛滋病毒和 LGBTQ+ 倡導團體聯合發布新聞稿稱：「多年來，我們的協會和相關人士一直在譴責這種過時且具有歧視性的參考系統，該系統將愛滋病毒感染者排除在其監管的大多數職業之外，而不關心他們的健康狀況」。”

HIV stats in Armed Forces revealed a year on from serving ban lifted

James Wharton / 2nd June 2023 / Forces News

The UK’s main HIV charity called on the MOD to pledge to support the UK-wide commitment to end new transmissions by 2030.

There are 83 personnel serving in the British military who are HIV positive, new data from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) suggests.

It has been 12 months since the automatic ban on personnel with the virus serving in the Armed Forces was lifted.

The number disclosed by the MOD was provided with little context, but it is known that the majority of these individuals were already serving before the ban ended, and the Armed Forces were aware of their HIV status.

• HIV no longer a barrier to Armed Forces career after policy change
• ‘I feel lucky’: HIV-positive Navy officer on ‘momentous’ defence policy changes

It does suggest the known prevalence of HIV within the Armed Forces is much lower than the most recent estimation for the general UK population. 

Commonly, personnel who are HIV positive are diagnosed outside of the military, meaning the figure only includes those who tested positive at a unit level via their on-base medical officer, or personnel who have disclosed to the chain of command they are HIV positive.   

A military source has told Forces News that there are personnel who do not yet feel able to talk to the chain of command about their HIV status, suggesting the true number of HIV-positive people in the military could be greater than the documented 83.

In response to the data, one of the UK’s most influential figures in the field of HIV has warned the MOD it needs to apply the same momentum it had in removing the ban to working towards the removal of HIV stigma in military communities. 

Richard Angell, chief executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “It’s welcome that the absence of prohibitive laws and rules stopping people joining and progressing in the armed services because of their HIV status, that, with them being washed away, people are more willing to come forward and talk about their HIV status.   

“Some of that will be people testing for the first time. But crucially, some are being open about a status they have known about for a long period of time.  

“But for us, it’s not just about the absence of rules that were out of date, it’s actually about the MOD and all of our services taking it to a positive place to encourage the kind of testing that we know needs to have happened.”

He added: “To have in place the support for people living with HIV, in particular peer support where they can draw support from each other.”

It has been 12 months since the automatic ban on personnel with the virus serving in the Armed Forces was lifted.

Mr Angell also called on the MOD to pledge to supporting the UK-wide commitment to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.  

As individuals are not legally compelled to reveal sensitive information about their health, such as a HIV diagnosis, the military often only becomes aware of a diagnosis when the individual decides to inform his or her chain of command.

But within the Armed Forces, figures have stepped forward to talk openly about living with HIV.

In December 2022, Lieutenant Commander Oliver Brown was named in the New Year’s Honours list for his work as an HIV-positive role model within the Royal Navy.

It is thought high-profile examples like Lt Cdr Brown are contributing to creating an improved environment, one that is more accommodating of discussing topics like HIV testing and living with HIV.

An MOD spokesperson said: “We introduced changes to the HIV policy in June 2022, which removed medical restrictions for people living with HIV, and allowed them to serve in the Armed Forces.

“As a result, we have seen more candid discussions about HIV and more service personnel are willing to test when offered.

Lieutenant Commander Oliver Brown was named in the New Year’s Honours list for his work as an HIV-positive role model within the Royal Navy.

“Increased knowledge and subsequent treatment have resulted in individuals showing undetectable HIV viral loads, meaning the virus cannot be passed on to others, lessening the worry about the impact on future relationships and living a normal life.   

“We encourage all personnel to take the right medical steps for them to live happy and normal lives and hope to see this positive impact and perception change with other long-term, stable conditions.”

In May, NATO ally France announced it will follow in the UK’s footsteps and end its ban on HIV-positive personnel serving in their military.

In response to the announcement, a joint press release from eight different HIV and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in France, said: “For many years our associations and the people concerned have been denouncing this obsolete and discriminatory reference system, which excluded people with HIV from accessing most of the professions it oversees without taking an interest in their state of health.”