Press Release - 22nd June 2005

Dublin AIDS Alliance (DAA) Ltd., would like to extend sincere appreciation to Linda Evangelista and the team at MAC Cosmetics for their kind donation of E20,000.

MAC AIDS Fund has sponsored programmes at DAA throughout the last ten years and their continued support is highly valued by the Board of Directors, staff and clients.

DAA campaigned on Irish AIDS Day, 15th June 2005, for a reinvestment in prevention and education strategies at national level, echoing the UNAIDS call to governments throughout the E.U.  Not only in Ireland, but throughout Europe, the cost of treatment has precluded sufficient investment in prevention strategies.  Young people in Ireland today have grown-up post the huge media visibility that characterised HIV/AIDS in the eighties and early nineties, and are consequently complacent or inadequately informed about HIV.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) have increased in Ireland by 174% between 1994 and 2003, while almost one person tests HIV+ in Ireland every day.  STI increases coupled with changing patterns of sexual behaviour may signal a future increase in HIV.  Sexually transmitted HIV accounted for 67% of all cases reported in 2004 and 74% of cases in the previous year, and there is a pressing need for us to work together to improve sexual health outcomes for everybody in Ireland.  This donation from the MAC AIDS Fund is helping us to take another step towards realising that goal.

Press Release - 15th June 2005

Irish AIDS Day 2005 gives special emphasis to Young People and Sexual Health

Dublin AIDS Alliance (DAA) is calling on the Irish Government to put sexual health on the political agenda, to develop a National Sexual Health Strategy, while reinvesting in prevention and making condoms freely available in places where young people congregate.

Figures released yesterday by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) show an 11% decrease in the number of people testing HIV+ in 2004 when compared with the previous year.  Commenting on the latest figures, Ann Nolan, Executive Director of DAA said that "this is the first time in a number of years that we have seen a decrease in the number of people testing HIV positive and that is very welcome.  However, the downward trend should be interpreted with caution as advised by the HPSC as it may not continue in future years.  Furthermore, 356 people tested HIV+ in 2004 and that is too many people succumbing to an illness that can be prevent, so there is still no room for complacency about HIV".

There has been a 174% increase in reported Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Ireland between 1994 and 2003 and 73% of those were reported among people below the age of thirty years.  "STI increases coupled with changing patterns of sexual behaviour may signal a future increase in HIV," Ms. Nolan said, "given the fact that sexually transmitted HIV accounted for 67% of all cases reported in 2004 and 74% of cases in the previous year, there is a pressing need for Government to act to improve sexual health outcomes for everybody in Ireland.  Sex and sexuality is a normal and healthy aspect of life, and sexual health should be forming a core part of our overall promotion of health and wellbeing".

Campaign activities organised by the Dublin AIDS Alliance to mark the day itself on June 15th include:

The Dublin AIDS Alliance wishes to acknowledge the support of Durex and to extend thanks for the provision of condoms for distribution on Irish AIDS Day.