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01/12/2009
Record Number Of HIV Cases This Year
A record number of newly-diagnosed HIV patients has been reported by St James's Hospital in Dublin this year.
The hospital said it has experienced a 20% rise in cases and a 100% increase in HIV diagnoses among homosexual and bisexual men.
It is believed the rise is due to unsafe sexual practices among young men and a lull in public awareness of the disease.
Some 244 new HIV cases were diagnosed this year, compared with 209 last year, and a total of 2,000 HIV positive patients now attend the hospital.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the number of people with HIV in Northern Ireland is also increasing.
New figures released today, which is World Aids Day, by the North's Public Health Agency show 92 people were diagnosed in 2008 compared to 61 the previous year.
The report said 55% of the cases were acquired through sex between men and women.
World AIDS Day is an annual campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the disease, and will see a number of events scheduled around the world.
Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly claimed Government complacency had caused complacency among at-risk groups. He called for a national education campaign on HIV prevention.
"It is worrying from a public health perspective because this is costing the Government money," he said. "People at risk are not taking precautions. It requires education, not medication. People need to be reminded of the dangers of unprotected sex."
A spokesman for the HSE said: "Health education in the area of HIV/Aids is a strategic part of the HSE's overall health promotion operations. HSE funding is also made available for a variety of NGOs working in the area of HIV/Aids nationally."
According to the World Health Organisation, over 33m people are living with HIV/AIDS.
(DW/BMcc)
The hospital said it has experienced a 20% rise in cases and a 100% increase in HIV diagnoses among homosexual and bisexual men.
It is believed the rise is due to unsafe sexual practices among young men and a lull in public awareness of the disease.
Some 244 new HIV cases were diagnosed this year, compared with 209 last year, and a total of 2,000 HIV positive patients now attend the hospital.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the number of people with HIV in Northern Ireland is also increasing.
New figures released today, which is World Aids Day, by the North's Public Health Agency show 92 people were diagnosed in 2008 compared to 61 the previous year.
The report said 55% of the cases were acquired through sex between men and women.
World AIDS Day is an annual campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the disease, and will see a number of events scheduled around the world.
Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly claimed Government complacency had caused complacency among at-risk groups. He called for a national education campaign on HIV prevention.
"It is worrying from a public health perspective because this is costing the Government money," he said. "People at risk are not taking precautions. It requires education, not medication. People need to be reminded of the dangers of unprotected sex."
A spokesman for the HSE said: "Health education in the area of HIV/Aids is a strategic part of the HSE's overall health promotion operations. HSE funding is also made available for a variety of NGOs working in the area of HIV/Aids nationally."
According to the World Health Organisation, over 33m people are living with HIV/AIDS.
(DW/BMcc)
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An Aids campaign group have expressed "major concern" over the figures showing an increase in the incidence of AIDS contraction. The Dublin AIDS Alliance described the 3.6% rise of HIV infections across Ireland as a major concern. New figures show a total of 405 new HIV diagnoses reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre last year.
Concern Over Rise In HIV Infections
An Aids campaign group have expressed "major concern" over the figures showing an increase in the incidence of AIDS contraction. The Dublin AIDS Alliance described the 3.6% rise of HIV infections across Ireland as a major concern. New figures show a total of 405 new HIV diagnoses reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre last year.
29 April 2016
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25 May 2016
Mental Health Funding Must Be Repaid - Labour
Funding taken from the mental health budget must be paid back, Labour TD Jan O'Sullivan has said. Deputy O'Sullivan made the call while speaking in a Dáil debate on mental health, where she said that €12m taken from the mental health budget this year, could not be allowed to fall into "the black hole of the general Health budget".
Mental Health Funding Must Be Repaid - Labour
Funding taken from the mental health budget must be paid back, Labour TD Jan O'Sullivan has said. Deputy O'Sullivan made the call while speaking in a Dáil debate on mental health, where she said that €12m taken from the mental health budget this year, could not be allowed to fall into "the black hole of the general Health budget".
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