Vol. 403 No. 3
8 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in this country suffering from (a) AIDS and (b) HIV infection at the latest date for which figures are available; if he intends to take any further steps to deal with the spread of these two conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The latest figures available for HIV infection and AIDS are as follows: HIV infection 1,005; AIDS 174.
I would refer the Deputy to my speech in the House on Tuesday last, 27 November, in response to the Private Members' motion put down by Deputy Yates in the course of which I outlined in full the Government's strategy in this area.
As I indicated on that occasion, since the early eighties the Government have been implementing an AIDS Strategy consisting of the monitoring of cases of, and deaths from, AIDS and the trend in HIV infection; prevention through the protection of the blood supply; prevention through information aimed at the general population and at groups which are at particular risk of contracting the disease; the provision of risk-reduction services such as methadone maintenance and syringe-exchange; research into aspects of the disease; the care and management of persons suffering from AIDS and HIV; and the co-ordination of policy and its implementation at national and local levels.
As I also said to the House on Tuesday last, this strategy is in line with the recommendations of international bodies and compares very favourably with strategies adopted elsewhere.
The Government strategy on AIDS is adopted in line with the changing epidemiology of the disease and with international requirements and recommendations.
A recent significant development in this area is early-medical intervention for persons with HIV. Research studies have indicated that if HIV-infected persons are placed on certain medical products at an early stage of their infection, it will have beneficial results.
The rate of infection tends to slow down and life expectancy is increased. In this context, Ireland has the widest spectrum of medicinal products licensed to use for HIV. We are in fact the first country in the world to license one of these products. There is, however, a number of questions relating to early medical intervention which need to be addressed. A major international medical symposium on the subject is being held in the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland on Friday next, 30 November 1990, at which the issue will be addressed and it is hoped that the symposium will go some way towards progressing our knowledge in this area.
A crucial element in our AIDS strategy is the role of each acute hospital in caring for and managing persons with AIDS from its catchment area, people who require in-patient treatment. The patient would be treated by the appropriate consultant depending on the clinical presentation of their illness. This has always been our policy and I am concerned that all acute hospitals play their part fully. I might add that this was reiterated to the health boards and acute hospitals in a circular which issued from the Department this week.
As I mentioned to the House on Tuesday last, the Government are satisfied that the AIDS strategy being implemented is appropriate and equitable towards dealing with persons who suffer from the disease.
In view of the evidence of an increase in the number of people with AIDS and HIV infection and also in view of the fact that the proportion of babies born in this country with HIV infection or full blown AIDS is the highest in Europe, would the Minister agreed that the involvement of the voluntary bodies is crucial in tackling the problem? Regarding the allocation of additional finance, would the Minister agree that it is essential to liaise with voluntary bodies? Will the Minister recognise the problem by increasing the finance available?
I recognise that there is a problem worldwide as a result of AIDS and HIV infection. It is a major public health issue. In my view the management of people already suffering from AIDS is best done in an integrated way. For a number of reasons, including not discriminating against AIDS patients, they should be treated in the first instance by their family doctor because illnesses associated with AIDS — such as pneumocystis pneumonia, which is a pneumonia, tumours, cancers, Kaprosi Syndrome, psychiatric illness — can be dealt with within the general medical services which is the correct way to proceed. As regards paediatric AIDS, I should say we are involved in a major study with the EC on this matter. With regard to funding of voluntary organisations, we have provided over £2 million to voluntary organisations who are complementing the excellent work already being done through the public health services.
I do not wish to rehash the debate which took place in this House over the past two evenings. Nonetheless, I would like to ask the Minister two specific questions arising out of this question and that earlier debate. First, will he arrange, in 1991, to run a public information campaign as was the case in 1988? Second, will he now take steps — in view of the wrangle over the past three years — to open a unit similar to that located in St. James's Hospital at the Mater Hospital so that the north side of Dublin will have that facility, indeed as recommended by the Minister's own working party?
The Deputy will already have heard me say, in response to Deputy Sherlock, that the correct way to proceed in the treatment and management of persons suffering from AIDS is by way of the integrated services that exist already. With regard to the report of the working party, the fact that the Deputy, in an outburst at the end of the debate in the House last evening, held up and read out a list demonstrates just how seriously he takes what is a very serious public health issue facing this country.
The Minister disowned his own report. Is the Minister saying I quoted it incorrectly?
The least I might have expected of any Member of this House would be he or she would approach the matter in a sympathetic, serious manner. Rather the Deputy came in here, held up the report, did not refer to the fact that all of the following recommendations of the report had been implemented——
That is the report which the Minister suppressed.
——such as an integrated model of care with regard to hospital-treated patients, sub-acute accommodation, hospice care, respite accommodation——
The Minister should publish the report.
It is a suppressed report.
Deputies, please, let us hear the Minister's reply.
——the development of community-based services, the updating of the services in prisons for patients suffering from AIDS. Why did the Deputy come in and read out the list here last evening and say that nothing had been implemented? Did he do it merely to mislead the public, to hype the situation, and cause unnecessary fear and anxiety about an illness we should all be addressing with concern and compassion?
The segregation unit in Mountjoy Prison is inhuman. The Minister should visit it. Indeed, the Minister should publish that report if I was not quoting correctly.
