Three-quarters of women living with HIV in the UK have Black, Asian or ethnic minority heritage. Yet their stories are often not heard. On BBC’s Woman’s Hour, Dr Rageshri Dhairyawan, a consultant in Sexual Health and HIV Medicine at Barts Health NHS Trust in London, shared that she wants to see a “renewed focus on how to access those women, ensure that they have the healthcare they need to live long and healthy lives, and break down the stigma around HIV that is intense within some communities.” According to Dr Dhairyawan, South Asian women form a silent and often overlooked minority of women living with HIV, which is concerning as sexually transmitted infections are rising fastest in Asians compared to other ethnicities. Meanwhile, all pregnant women in the UK are being encouraged to take a flu jab this winter. According to the BBC, The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Royal College of Midwives are urging all pregnant women to take up the offer of a free flu vaccination this winter to protect themselves and their baby from complications caused by the flu virus.
