HIV Ireland News – Page 25

HIV Ireland launched by Minister Leo Varadkar on World AIDS Day

December 1, 2015/in HIV Ireland News, Press Release/by HIV Ireland

HIV Ireland Press Release 1st December 2015

HIV Ireland was officially launched on World AIDS Day, 1^st December 2015, by the Minister for Health, Mr. Leo Varadkar. The change of name from Dublin AIDS Alliance to HIV Ireland is very much a reflection of the reality for the vast majority of people living with HIV in Ireland today – progression to AIDS is no longer inevitable. Given the significant improvements in medication and treatment over the last twenty years, people who contract HIV in 2015, and access treatment as soon as possible, can expect to live a normal healthy life.

Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Health launching HIV Ireland today, World AIDS Day, in HIV Ireland. Pictured from left to right Stephen Rourke, Chair of HIV Ireland, Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Health, Niall Mulligan, Executive Director of HIV Ireland and Erin Nugent Community Support Manager, HIV Ireland.

When launching the organisation, the Minister commended the re-branded organisation. “I think this re-branding is a positive step which can only build on all the good work it has performed so far. I wish them the very best for the future and I know their excellent work will continue. This is a very timely launch as the number of new HIV cases is rising year on year. The Government is funding a rapid HIV test in the main cities on a pilot basis, as part of the new Sexual Health Strategy. Testing is available free of charge at 20 locations across the State. But this event today will help to raise awareness and hopefully prompt more people to get tested. Early detection allows treatment to start early, it minimises the long-term health implications, and reduces potential new infections.”

The number of new HIV cases is rising year on year which is a real cause for concern. My Department is currently funding a rapid HIV test in the main cities on a pilot basis, as part of the new Sexual Health Strategy. STI screening is available free of charge at 20 locations across the State. However, it’s important that we raise awareness and detect as many undiagnosed cases as we can in order to get treatment early, minimise the long-term health implications, and reduce potential new infections.”

Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Health Launching HIV Ireland today, World AIDS Day, in HIV Ireland. Pictured Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Health with Niall Mulligan, Executive Director of HIV Ireland.

Speaking after the launch, Niall Mulligan, Executive Director of HIV Ireland emphasised one of the key challenges being the rising numbers of new HIV diagnoses in Ireland. ‘We cannot afford to become complacent. We must continually remind ourselves that as new HIV diagnoses increase in Ireland (427 new provisional diagnoses to date in 2015, an increase of 85 over this time last year – www.hpsc.ie), approximately 30% of people who are living with HIV in Ireland don’t actually know they are. Challenging stigma, encouraging safer sex and condom use and increasing access to testing must remain key Government priorities if we are to have any chance of reducing new HIV diagnoses over the coming years’.

Also speaking at the event was Dr. Erin Nugent, Community Support Co-ordinator with HIV Ireland, who launched the latest edition of ‘Living with HIV in Ireland – a Self-Help Guide’, an indispensable support for those who are living with HIV in Ireland today. The guide is available as a download on www.hivireland.ie. In launching the Guide, Dr. Nugent thanked Janssen pharmaceuticals for funding the project. She also spoke of how ‘the guide represents the human rights ethos of HIV Ireland. An ethos that centres on our core beliefs that people have a right to education, a right to make informed decisions and a right to be respected’.

HIV Ireland also announced some key pieces of work the organisation will be involved in during 2016 i.e. conducting a National HIV survey looking at stigma, discrimination, general awareness of HIV and public attitudes towards people living with HIV; expanding its HIV and STI Community Testing programme into the North East with support from the HSE National Social Inclusion department and increasing its work with the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland and others to promote the health and rights of sex workers.

Equally, as a key partner with the Gay Health Network (GHN), HIV Ireland is delighted to be involved today in the launch of a new HIV awareness campaign, part of the joint HSE and GHN national Man2Man.ie programme. HIV: Laid Bare is a new messaging campaign targeted at men who have sex with men and aims to increase knowledge about HIV prevention, about the positive effects of HIV medication in preventing the transmission of HIV and the importance of regular testing, and to challenge the stigma still experienced by MSM living with HIV.

HIV Ireland would like to thank all of its colleagues, funders and friends for their huge level of support over the last number of years and looks forward to working in partnership with others to ensure that everything that can be done will be done to support people living with HIV in Ireland.

For information about HIV, testing, safer sex and support please visit – www.hivireland.ie; www.man2man.ie; www.positivenow.ie

End

For further information, please contact:

Niall Mulligan,

Executive Director

HIV Ireland

70 Eccles Street

Dublin 7

Mobile: 085 7457951

Tel: 01 8733799

Email: niall.mulligan@hivireland.ie

www.hivireland.ie

HIV Ireland Information

HIV Ireland is a registered charity operating at local, National and European level. The principal aim of the organisation is too improve, through a range of support services, conditions for people living with HIV and AIDS and/or Hepatitis, their families and their caregivers while further promoting sexual health in the general population.

Our mission and vision is to contribute towards a significant reduction in the incidence and prevalence of HIV in Ireland and towards the realisation of an AIDS-free generation by advocating for individuals living with HIV, preventing new HIV infections and combating HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

Since 1987 HIV Ireland (formerly Dublin AIDS Alliance) has been pioneering services in sexual health education and promotion, and has consistently engaged in lobbying and campaigning in the promotion of human rights. Our approach broadly reflects a harm minimisation model which emphasises practical rather than idealised goals. In relation to practical service provision we currently operate under two headings

A) Community Support

Counselling
1-1 Support
Advocacy
Community Outreach Work
HIV & STI Community Testing
Capacity Building with People Living with HIV

B) Prevention, Education & Training

One day workshops on HIV, STI’s and Sexual Health
Sexual Health Training for Trainers Programme (Let’s Talk About…..Safer Sex)
Free Condom Service (Just Carry One Campaign)
Social Media work and campaigning
Network Involvement

World AIDS Day 2015 – Show your Solidarity

November 26, 2015/in HIV Ireland News/by HIV Ireland

While there has been a significant and welcome improvement in treatment for HIV, concern remains regarding the numbers of newly diagnosed cases in Ireland. As of mid-November 2015, 411 new diagnoses of HIV have been reported by the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

World AIDS Day is a significant annual event in Ireland that helps to raise awareness about the many issues that present themselves for people living with HIV and those at risk of contracting HIV. In 2015, organisations from all over Ireland are working together to roll out a national co-ordinated campaign running for five days from Friday 27th of November until World AIDS Day on the 1st of December. The focus of World AIDS Day 2015 is Solidarity with all people living with HIV, both those who know they are living with HIV, and those who don’t.

The key messages of HIV Visibility, HIV Stigma, HIV Support and HIV Knowledge are being promoted through a social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter asking people to show their solidarity with people who are living with HIV. The Lord Mayor’s in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway are supporting the campaign by promoting the key messages of HIV Visibility, HIV Stigma, HIV Support and HIV Knowledge. Equally, city councils and local authorities are showing their solidarity by lighting up prominent buildings in red in cities across the country. HIV organisations and sexual health services are supporting the campaign in many ways including organised events and activities that will run throughout the campaign and into December.

Support the Campaign and Show your Solidarity

Download the campaign posters and display in your organisation/workplace.
Poster 1 Visibility Poster 2 Stigma Poster 3 Support Poster 4 Knowledge

Download social media materials and post to Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #WADirl

Download the Facebook profile picture and upload to your Facebook page to support World AIDS Day.
Profile Pic

Follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter and post a message using the hashtag #WADirl.

European HIV-Hepatitis testing week

November 20, 2015/in HIV Ireland News/by HIV Ireland

European HIV-Hepatitis testing week. European HIV-Hepatitis testing week! Visit…

www.hivtestingweek.eu

Free HIV and STI Testing Centres in Ireland

Why not avail of free testing services at a range of community-based projects and clinics. Check out our map for a full list of locations:

‘Just Saying…’ report launched by Minister Aodhán ó Ríordáin

October 27, 2015/in HIV Ireland News/by HIV Ireland

On 21^st October, Minister Aodhán ó Ríordáin launched a report on the views of young people about drugs and alcohol. ‘Just Saying…’ is a report compiled from a number of youth conventions held in 2013 and 2014 in Dublin’s north inner city, organised by the Prevention and Education sub-committee of the North Inner City Drug and Alcohol Task Force (NICDATF). The committee is chaired by Maureen O’Sullivan, T.D. and members include representatives from HIV Ireland, Bradóg Regional Youth Service, Hands on Peer Education and BeLonG To Youth Services.

The report presents the views of 400 young students from nine local schools who took part in four Youth Conventions. The aim of the conventions was to listen to young people’s views on drugs and alcohol, their opinions on the various drugs education and prevention experienced to date through their schools or clubs. Round-table discussions at the conventions were facilitated by youth workers involved in the committee and from other various clubs and projects in the north inner city.

When officially launching the report, the Minister made particular reference to the recommendation that the voices of young people should be central to the development of drug education and prevention initiatives, and should be involved in the development of the next National Drugs Strategy (currently being developed). The Minister gave his support for this recommendation and suggested the organisation of a conference or seminar to facilitate this.

When discussing future prevention approaches, young people cited the importance of presenting them with the facts about drugs and alcohol so that they could make informed choices. Young people further highlighted the need for information on sexual health and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). HIV Ireland will continue its active involvement in the Prevention and Education sub-committee to ensure these issues raised by young people are included in future initiatives.

For copies of the report contact the NICDATF www.nicdtf.ie

Stigma and Disclosure in Ireland

October 14, 2015/in HIV Ireland News, Other/by HIV Ireland

The enduring power of stigma – understanding why HIV-positive gay men don’t disclose their status

Study highlights stigma within gay communities, and amongst HIV-positive men

For full study follow this link or go to www.aidsmap.com

Invitation to Tender

October 12, 2015/in HIV Ireland News, Other/by HIV Ireland

“National Survey on HIV in Ireland”

HIV Ireland invites submissions of tenders to deliver this project being a National Survey on HIV in Ireland. Download more details of the specific project, required expertise, invitation to tender and tender criteria in our tendering document: HIV Ireland National HIV Survey Tendering Document – 9th October 2015

Tenders to be submitted by e-mail to niall.mulligan@hivireland.ie

by 5.00 p.m. on Monday 2^nd November 2015

HIV Ireland Press Release (4th September 2015)

September 7, 2015/in HIV Ireland News, Press Release/by HIV Ireland

HIV Ireland welcomes Health Ministers call for additional HIV testing to cope with increasing HIV infections in Ireland

HIV Ireland has welcomed the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar’s call for more efforts in the fight against HIV in Ireland at to-days Second Annual Health Sector Consultation event held in Dublin Castle.

In his opening speech, the Minister spoke about the challenges in HIV prevention and reinforced the importance of more and sustained actions on HIV testing. According to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre there has been a provisional increase of 16% in new HIV cases in Ireland in 2015 compared to this time last year (301 compared to 259). These reports also reveal that since the early 1980’s and to the end of 2014, more than 7,000 people have been newly diagnosed with HIV in Ireland.

HIV Ireland has been developing various actions and prevention campaigns to encourage testing and to guarantee support for people living with HIV. According to Niall Mulligan, Executive Director of HIV Ireland, “In 2014 HIV Ireland, in conjunction with St. James GUIDE Clinic provided free HIV and STI testing to over 300 people. We have also worked closely with national health institutions and other non-governments organisations to increase effective prevention, outreach and testing interventions, especially through key populations, such as men who have sex with men, migrants, young people and people who inject drugs.”

Niall Mulligan also highlighted the importance of all people living in Ireland knowing that ‘testing is available free of charge in more than 20 sites around the country. In fact, one of the strongest prevention weapons for everyone is to get to know your HIV status and, if diagnosed with HIV, to begin treatment as soon as possible so as to decrease the virus activity and reduce the chance of transmission.”