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HIV DIAGNOSES REACHED a record high last year, with 531 cases in 2018 according to figures released by the HSE.
According to their provisional data, the number is an 8% increase from figures in 2017 and demonstrates an upward trend in diagnoses.
STIs (sexually transmitted infections) diagnoses also rose last year with chlamydia infections increasing by an extra 537 diagnoses from 2017 figures, and Gonorrhoea increasing by 158.
There was also an increase in diagnoses of genital herpes, syphilis and lympogranuoma venereum (LGV).
ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) Dublin member Andrew Leavitt says, “Seeing HIV diagnoses in Ireland rising like this is simply unacceptable.”
“We’ve been waiting for PrEP [preventative medication for HIV] in Ireland, and this is the predictable result of the delay,” he says in a statement.
“The Government has committed to rolling out a national PrEP programme in the next months. These figures underscore the need for the HSE to act swiftly to make PrEP easy to access everywhere in the country.”
PrEP is a once daily medication that can significantly reduce risk of infection among HIV-negative people at high risk. PrEP had only been available in Ireland on prescription at a price of over €400 a month for the brand-name medication and €100 for the generic medication.
The Health Information Quality Authority (Hiqa) has been carrying out a Health Technology Assessment of a programme which would make the drug free for populations at substantial risk of contracting HIV and who hold a medical card.
At the time of the assessment’s announcement Minister for Health Simon Harris said, “I am keen to make PrEP, which is a prevention tool, more readily available to those at risk of HIV in Ireland.”
Recent reports from the UK and Australia show significant reductions in new HIV diagnoses when PrEP is widely available, says ACT UP Dublin.
They add that community-based testing programmes like KnowNow project should be expanded and rapid HIV testing should be available for free through GP services and free HIV self-testing kits should be provided.
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My daughter is a social care worker with adults with learning difficulties & in her place of work they still haven’t been tested. All these adults are all live in house’s where she works.
I’d like to see some up to date reports of testing figures. This article quotes 188,837 from last Saturday, even though a figure of 214,761 has been published since then. What is the current figure for community testing?
It is right we test the people in Direct Provision as a priority because they have suffered enough after fleeing war torn countries.
@Frances Faller: nobody should be a priority in this. Everybody needs to be treated the same. Nobody’s health is more or less important than anyone else, does not matter where they came from
@Frances Faller: This is a common misconception. One can claim asylum under many different categories including sexual orientatation
@Ali Ní Dhomhnaill: maybe not a priority but their pleas shouldn’t be falling on deaf ears for weeks now. Money talks – FG don’t want to challenge those making a fortune out it direct provision to implement social distancing.
Also the Irish public just doesn’t care.
@Ali Ní Dhomhnaill: not true. Not everyone has the luxury of isolating themselves. People in direct provision and nursing homes are by default in environments where it’s difficult to isolate and where the virus is more easily transmitted. Tackling these outbreaks helps to eradicate the virus for everyone.
@Frances Faller: but what to do with the with people in direct provision that are making a mockery of the asylum process Pamela Izevbekhai springs to mind, cost the state half a millon Euro.There is no war in Albania, Moldova,Nigeria,Zimbabwe,Pakistan and Bangladesh to name but a few.
@JJandtim Dwyer: The Irish went all over the world and was treated very well and a lot became millionaires. All the refugees want is the same chance.
@Frances Faller: no problem with people coming from war torn countries, but as a certain Judge who is an expert on the topic,stated that 95% of asylum seekers are not telling the truth on why they came to Ireland, but in fact they come for work/migration
@Frances Faller: you are terrible at trolling
@Frances Faller: Have absolutely no problem with people coming here from a war torn country, its their right to seek shelter from tyranny,but I will not be made a fool of by those that spin the most outrageous yarns to gain access to my country.
I am sick to death of this comparison of , The Irish went all over the world , of course they did as they had their land was confiscated and their crops stolen , and were transported for stealing a loaf of bread, They built countries infrastructure , railways , highways, Dams and broke their backs doing it and never requested a nice hotel in the city.with 3 meals a day and weekly payment.
Their is nothing free in this world we al have to do our bit there is no such thing as a free lunch.
@JJandtim Dwyer: Well said. That horse that is usually trotted out about the Irish going “all over the world” when really it was to anglophone countries in the vast majority of cases, and as you rightly point out – it was sink or swim for those Irish souls.
Deport.
Why were they tested? Were they in at risk categories?
The Irish went all over the world and were treated well?? It’s for exactly the opposite reason we should have empathy with asylum seekers ‘ no dogs and no Irish ‘
have your say