Michael Creed
Ceist:10 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Health if her Department will fund a continuous media campaign with the specific aim of halting the spread of the AIDS virus.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - AIDS Awareness Campaign.
I am very much aware that the dissemination of good information and education are of vital importance in controlling the spread of AIDS. Substantial funds are being invested by my Department in a major national media campaign with the specific objective of raising awareness about HIV and AIDS. The campaign is by means of television and radio advertising. The basic message is that HIV is continuing to spread, that there is no room for complacency and that knowledge and understanding minimises the risk of the spread of HIV. This campaign is designed to heighten in intensity around World AIDS Day, 1 December.
As part of the ongoing campaign about HIV, I intend to launch tomorrow a new video which has been produced by the health promotion unit of my Department. The video will deal with knowledge and information about AIDS and HIV; transmission of HIV and its prevention and acceptance, support and compassion for persons with HIV and AIDS. The video uses a mixture of drama, graphics and narrative to illuminate many aspects of HIV and AIDS. It will be suitable for educational purposes with community groups, adult education classes and health care staff.
An additional element of the ongoing campaign has been a pilot programme involving convenience advertising. The health promotion unit of my Department have been disseminating a series of messages about HIV and AIDS by means of a campaign in third level colleges during 1991. These messages relate to what HIV and AIDS are, how HIV is spread and how risks of transmission can be reduced.
Following positive evaluation of the pilot programme, I have decided to continue the campaign in third level colleges and to extend it into a number of women's health centres and entertainment facilities.
The development and dissemination of comprehensive AIDS resource materials by my Department and the Department of Education for all second level schools represents a core element of a comprehensive information-education programme on HIV and AIDS. In-service seminars for teachers have been conducted nationwide, involving the health promotion unit, the Department of Education and regional health board expertise. Feedback from this schools' programme is very positive and affirms the importance of resource materials for use in our schools.
A revised information leaflet entitled AIDS The Facts has been prepared by the health promotion unit and is being disseminated nationally at present. This leaflet provides comprehensive information on HIV and AIDS, how to avoid infection and high risk behaviour.
The comprehensive education-information approaches I have outlined are an integral feature of the Government's AIDS strategy which was announced recently.
I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. I welcome the proliferation of leaflets and videos. However, will the Minister agree that the most effective media would be television and radio advertising? The stop-go attitude which has emanated from the Department recently is inadequate in the light of the alarming escalation in the spread of the HIV virus. While I appreciate the campaign on television leading to World AIDS Day, will the Minister confirm whether the campaign will continue on an ongoing basis, which would be the most effective means of tackling this problem?
We plan to continue the ongoing campaign, although I do not know at what level. Obviously, graphic videos, television and radio advertisements have a part to play. Interestingly, research has shown that, while such advertising is effective and must be continued and emphasised, it does not often reach the most vulnerable people who need it. Research pinpointed the need for the convenience type advertising, which I mentioned, which has been available in areas in third level colleges — enhanced leaflets and all the other activities which we will be continuing and extending.
Like my colleagues, I welcome the Minister to the House. I wish her well in her new job and I should like her to know that I will have an agenda for women's health matters to bring to her attention. I welcome the Minister's news about the publicity campaign for AIDS Day. Will the Minister agree that the Health Education Bureau should be reinstated, as they played an educational role whereas the health promotion unit, while very important, promote health instead of providing ongoing education.
I thank Deputy Fennell for her good wishes. The health promotion unit in the Department of Health perform a very striking, interesting and emphatic role. I have been amazed at the range of their activities and the professionalism which has developed between them and the relevant section in the Department of Education. During my four and a half years in the Department of Education it was very interesting to note the strong links which we established with the Department of Health at ministerial and official levels. I worked on various programmes, particularly the AIDS programme for second level schools, with great thoroughness with the former Minister for Health, Deputy O'Hanlon, and his officials. We produced what is regarded in Europe as a good programme. However, it needs to be evaluated and in January the Departments of Health and Education will do a very intensive survey of the schools on how the programme has progressed. There will be an enhanced in-service programme for teachers and, if necessary an evaluation and adaptation of the programme.
Would the Minister agree that given the nature of Irish society and the legal position vis-á-vis the availability of condoms, she is fighting the battle against AIDS with one hand tied behind her back, as it were? Would she not agree that all the knowledge and information about the transmission of the HIV virus is not of much use if there is difficulty in obtaining condoms? Finally would she agree that, as a person can buy a packet of Aspros across the counter to cure a headache, condoms should be equally accessible in order to save lives?
First, I am not conducting this campaign with one hand tied behind my back. The second question relates to the family planning legislation. As the Deputy knows, the relevant Bill has been circulated.
Will the Minister be amending it?
Like all Ministers, I am studying everything on my desk, including that legislation. It will be of interest to Deputy Byrne to know that in the drop-in centre in Baggot Street counselling takes place and there is availability of needles as well as condoms. The Department hope to announce within a short period a second such centre on the north side of the city.
We want to prevent the disease.
The Deputy asked me a particular question.
Would the Minister agree, as the new Minister for Health, to look at the latest advertising campaign by RTE on AIDS? RTE manage to conduct this campaign without a single mention of condoms despite the fact that the effectiveness of condoms has been recognised by the World Health Organisation as well as by Dr. James Walsh, head of Ireland's national AIDS programme. It is recognised that condoms play a part in fighting the battle against AIDS and the HIV virus. Would the Minister agree to look at the advertising campaign to see if more direct reference can be made to the use of condoms?
Let us try to avoid repetition.
While the campaign is advertised on RTE it is a Department of Health campaign. Dr. James Walsh, the AIDS co-ordinator, was very much involved in the production of that advertisement and I will be glad to pass the Deputy's comments to him. The advertisment is graphic and dramatic and is very arresting in its message. I intend to continue the tone I have set for this debate because it is an area in which one has to be sensitive but also entirely sensible and frank.
Would the Minister not agree that many of her efforts to promote information are not getting through to groups where the instance and risk of HIV is greatest? Low educational standards have been reached by many of these people and they are not accessible to television advertising. Would the Minister not agree that outreach workers are needed to get through to those people? Would she agree that a recent survey showed that half the people with the virus were engaging in unprotected sex and that that clearly illustrates a failure of the information campaign in a very important respect?
The Deputy is quite right, and that is the point I made to his colleague, Deputy Creed, when he asked if we were going to continue with the present media campaign through television and radio. Research has shown that such campaigns very often do not reach the people for whom they are intended. While the campaign is necessary in order to increase awareness and has graphic arresting qualities, it will not be successful if it does not reach the people for whom it is intended. The video to which I referred will soon be available in outreach centres which are accessible to young people who have left school and joined programmes such as Youthreach and other community groups. We will continue to advertise in a comprehensive and graphic way. This is a very serious issue and I welcome the fact that there is consensus on it across the House. I hope that the open and frank discussion which I continue to bring to bear on this problem will be of help to those who need it.
Condoms should be more readily available to those who need them.