Government urged to supply free condoms

A MEMBER of the Government’s AIDS Strategy Committee has called for condoms to be provided free to ethnic minority groups and homosexuals.

Paddy Connolly, who is also chief executive of Cairde, a national support service for adults and children infected by HIV and AIDS, said the Government was ignoring the growing health problems of these high-risk groups.

National Disease Surveillance Centre figures show that the number of HIV cases has risen from 119 in 1997 to 299 in 2001.

Mr Connolly is particularly concerned about HIV being spread by females from Africa. Of the 127 new heterosexual cases of HIV reported last year, 92 involved women, and

75 of these stated their region of origin as Africa. “The Government and Department of Health are ignoring the issue of sexual health among ethnic minorities. How can an asylum seeker who is getting an allowance of 19 per week be expected to fork out 8 on a pack of condoms?” he said.

He believes condoms should also be given free to bisexual and homosexual men. However, he said Cairde’s main concern was to stop the spread of HIV by ethnic minorities. “We know that there is a mass epidemic of AIDS in Africa, and the significant majority of those with HIV in Ireland were probably infected at home. There is, however, the issue of them passing it on within their own community, and so there is a real need for a sexual health programme for ethnic minorities.

“From next year on, Cairde won’t be dealing with bisexual men, men who have sex with men, or drug users. We need to concentrate all our efforts on minority ethnic groups to try to get our message across,” Mr Connolly said.

Legal officer with the Irish Refugee Council, Dug Cubie, said a voluntary health screening programme was in place, which 75% of refugee and asylum seekers partake in.

The Department of Health said last night it was acting to meet asylum seekers’ health needs through a number of community-based projects. “It’s not just a matter of giving free condoms. We are taking a wider approach to the issue through health education and promotion,” a department spokesperson said.

Dr Mary Cronin of the National Disease Surveillance Centre said the Government’s Action Plan for Sexual Targets 2003 should address the problem. “I would expect that the sexual health of ethnic minorities and gay and bisexual men is addressed under this programme.