HIV diagnoses increased by a quarter last year

Over a quarter more people were diagnosed with HIV at the Sexual Health Centers of the GGD last year. A total of 178 people were diagnosed with HIV last year, compared to 141 people in 2023, an overview from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) showed.

The statistics give a limited view. Data from hospitals and general practitioners are not available yet, and they often make up the biggest share of the numbers. “It is not yet clear whether this is a broader trend," a spokesperson for the RIVM has said.

According to the institute, a notable increase was seen at the centers in Amsterdam and Rotterdam at the beginning of last year. The number of hiv infections have been dropping through the years.

Soa Aids Nederland is concerned about the numbers. The organization warned that the planned cuts of 10 percent on the budget on the Sexual Health Centers budgets could make the situation worse. “Everyone’s sexual health, especially young people, will be endangered. This is unacceptable,” director Mark Vermeulen said. He is calling on the Cabinet to “reconsider” the budget cuts.

The number of infections of the virus that causes aids dropped by 62 percent between 2010 and 2020. It then stayed at around the same level for three years, numbers from Stichting hiv monitoring show.

Around 424 people were infected with HIV in the last year that the numbers are available for, which is 2023. The number of infections at GGD centers made up around a third of the total infections on that occasion.

While the number of positive tests rose last year, the number of consultations decreased by 7.5 percent. Almost three-quarters of the people who were infected with HIV are men who have sexual intercourse with other men.

The number of reported syphilis infections also rose in 2024. The center noted 1,798 infections of the sexually transmitted disease, a 6 percent increase compared to 2023.

The number of Gonorrhea infections was the same as the last measurement, with just under 14,000 cases. The number of chlamydia infections decreased. The testing guidelines have changed for this std. Tests and treatments are only conducted when a person is suffering from the symptoms. The treatment of people without any complaints turned out to be unnecessary in most cases and promoted antibiotic resistance.