Leicester is the English city sixth in line behind London with the highest number of people living with HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n

The city has\u00a0771 people accessing HIV care\u00a0\u2014 3.59 people per thousand population\u00a0\u2014 when the national average is about 0.9 people. Most of those are known to LASS which next year celebrates 30 years since it was formed as Leicestershire Aids Support Services.<\/p>\n

Jenny Hand, CEO of LASS<\/p><\/div>\n

Jenny Hand, Chief Executive Officer for\u00a0LASS<\/a>, kindly spoke to Leicester Novus in October 2016 about the charity. She said its aim was to provide social support to people living with HIV, a virus that attacks the immune system, and weakens people’s ability to fight infections and disease. One of the main problems facing people with HIV\/AIDS is stigma and discrimination.<\/p>\n

LASS also works\u00a0to help prevent new cases and to raise awareness.<\/p>\n

Jenny told the Rotary Club that LASS continues to work\u00a0make testing for HIV\/AIDS easier. An innovative project carried out in 2016 involved offering HIV\/AIDS tests alongside other health tests up and down the M1 corridor. Working\u00a0with other organisations in regional partnerships, LASS went to workplaces alongside the M1.\u00a0Jenny said LASS had obtained \u00a0a grant of \u00a380,000 to run the project.<\/p>\n

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