Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 October 2023
323. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health how many people have died in Ireland from an illness (details supplied) per year from 2014 to 2021 inclusive, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45873/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraHIV information, prevention and treatment is a policy priority under the National Sexual Health Strategy (NSHS). Free home STI testing is available in every county across Ireland. Anyone who is aged 17 or over can order a free STI test to their home or to any other valid postal address in Ireland. Further information on this service can be found at www.sexualwellbeing.ie.
In addition to the new national home STI testing service, other ongoing initiatives include:
• Expanding the National Condom Distribution Service
• Expanding the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme, available through the network of 23 free STI clinics and a small number of GPs to those at substantial risk of contracting HIV through sexual contact. PrEP has received an additional allocation of €600,000 in Budget 2024.
• Ireland joined the HIV Fast Track Cities initiative in 2019 (Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway). HIV Fast-Track Cities aims to increase access to HIV testing and treatment and to reduce stigma, aiming to end the HIV epidemic by 2030
• Developing a new Model of Care for sexual health services.
• Refreshing the new National Sexual Health Strategy This process is underway and includes identifying where new resources may be needed to expand capacity
HIV is a notifiable disease and is tracked by the HPSC on a weekly basis, annual HIV reports also available on their website www.hpsc.ie/notifiablediseases/.
As this is a service matter I have asked that the HSE also respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
