asked the Minister for Health the plans he has to implement the London Declaration on AIDS agreed to by the Irish Government on 28 January 1988 which states that the single most important component of national AIDS programmes is information and education.
Written Answers. - AIDS Campaign.
28.
I am pleased to report that the question of informing and educating both the public at large and specific "high risk" groups in society has formed and will continue to form a central and integral role in our campaign against the spread of AIDS. I might add that the London World Summit reassured me that our basic strategy is very much in line with that adopted in many other countries.
As a first step in our information programme a general leaflet on AIDS, which was simple and factual, was issued in mid-1986 to establish the basic facts in the public mind.
In February 1987 a national survey on public knowledge about AIDS was carried out. That survey revealed a high level of knowledge of the basic facts about AIDS among the public.
In May, 1987 a major public information programme was launched which was specifically designed to reinforce public knowledge and to address the specific gaps which had been detected in the survey particularly in relation to some of the myths about AIDS. The programme which cost £500,000 approached the problem from two standpoints. At one level, it sought to reinforce public knowledge about AIDS through a mass media campaign and, on a more individual basis, the personal worries and queries of individuals were addressed through a detailed booklet and a freefone service.
A further survey was carried out at the end of 1987 to assess the effectiveness of the programme. The majority considered the programme to be very good in helping them to understand AIDS and their knowledge was further improved.
An important part of the campaign is the comprehensive AIDS information booklet and telephone advice service. We will be giving additional publicity to the booklet and telephone service this year. The booklet is very comprehensive. An analysis of the telephone inquiries which have been put by the public to the national AIDS telephone service reveals that the booklet answers all of the questions about AIDS and how to avoid becoming infected. Of course some people will need more reassurance. The one-to-one discussion of particular issues which the booklet cannot provide is available through the national AIDS telephone service being run under the aegis of the Eastern Health Board which will continue to be available. The information is there and it is the responsibility of each person to get the booklet if they have not already done so, and to make the small effort necessary to read it. There will be a further poster campaign this year designed to keep the level of public awareness of the facts about AIDS as high as possible.
A special allocation of £450,000 has been made available from lottery funds by the Government for special AIDS measures in 1988. Information to the general public will continue to be provided. However, special efforts are being made this year to reach particular groups.
In Ireland 60 per cent of HIV positive individuals are IV drug abusers. This is the group in which the infection appears to be spreading most quickly. It is also the category from which the majority of new cases is coming. One to one contact with addicts will, I feel, prove the most effective way of motivating personal behavioural changes. The drug agencies have been provided with extra resources to enable them to expand their outreach programmes and further substantial funding is now being provided for this purpose.
The most crucial part of the expansion is the development of an outreach programme which will be run by the Eastern Health Board.
The project is principally aimed at minimising the spread of HIV infection amongst IV drug abusers and from this group to the community at large. It will involve one-to-one counselling, education and appropriate treatments. Another element of this outreach programme will be research into the drug culture with particular emphasis on how the culture is responding to the AIDS threat.
I have had a further meeting with my colleague the Minister for Education to discuss our plans for providing a long term AIDS programme in secondary schools. While that programme is being prepared and to ensure that children leaving school this year have the facts about AIDS, I have asked that directors of community care-medical officers of health co-operate with local school managements in providing AIDS education to ensure that no child shall leave school without being aware of the facts of AIDS.
In conclusion the Government's strategy is to do everything possible to slow down the spread of the AIDS virus pending the development of a vaccine. The task facing us is not an easy one especially when one considers a difficult group like IV drug abusers where it will take time and effort to achieve anything. However our strategy compares well internationally and is likely to be as effective as any other country's strategy. We will continue to pursue it vigorously.