The PrEP antiretroviral medicine, taken once a day, prevents people from catching the disease

A life-changing drug will be made available on the NHS for the first time this year in a move that the health secretary, Matt Hancock, says will eliminate new HIV infections within 10 years.

The decision was welcomed by the rock star and Aids activist Sir Elton John, who said he was “overjoyed” by the decision to provide the drug, describing it as “truly incredible”.

A total of 103,800 people were HIV positive in the UK in 2018, with about 7% unaware that they carried the virus.

The drug, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an antiretroviral medicine taken once a day, prevents people from catching the disease and has been called a “game-changer” by experts.

From April, local authorities will be given funding to commission services in