Vol. 419 No. 9
105 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the approximate number of persons affected with the HIV virus in the following areas (a) the overall Southern Health Board area, (b) Cork city, (c) Cork county and (d) Kerry county; and if he will give details of the State funding facilities available in these areas to HIV sufferers and the medical services available to HIV sufferers in the Cork city, Cork county and Kerry county areas.
The existing notification system for AIDs cases does not capture data on a county or regional basis. It is estimated that approximately 10% of known HIV positive tests are in respect of persons outside the greater Dublin area.
A sub-committee of the National AIDS Strategy Committee has recommended that the existing reporting system should be modified to enable the incidence of HIV/AIDS cases to be identified by county of residence without prejudice to the confidentiality of individual cases. This recommendation is at present being implemented, and will allow for improved planning and demand assessment for services at regional county level.
It is estimated that approximately 35 persons with HIV infection are receiving services in the Southern Health Board region.
Funding for such services are encompassed in the main by the allocation to the Southern Health Board in respect of services provided directly by the Board or on its behalf by the voluntary sector.
