Our name

The initials NAM originally stood for ‘National AIDS Manual’.

As these pictures show, back in 1987, when the charity NAM was first founded, the 'Manual' was a huge ring binder folder containing all of the available information on HIV and AIDS.  Produced at a time where there was little information, lots of hysteria and limited medical treatment, it was an important, evidenced based, reference point for medical and other professionals as well as people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS.

NAM's resources have developed  and evolved over the years to reflect the changing epidemic, developments in treatment and care and the changing information needs of people living with and working in HIV all over the world. We now have a huge range of resources pitched at different levels, online and in print, in different languages for different types of people.

We now produce more than just one, big, Manual and we support audiences all over the world, not just at a 'national' level - we have become known simply as, 'NAM'.

Although those weighty ringbinders are now tucked away safely in the NAM archive, the Manuals are an important part of our charity's history. The 'essence' of this approach to delivering HIV/AIDS information is reflected through our day to day work, providing calm, reliable, authoritative, independent information to anyone who needs it.