Sexual Health West will hold the annual World AIDS Day Concert on Friday, November 29, from 8pm, at St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church in Galway.
Cois Cladaigh and Bel Canto will once again be performing, and the concert is open to all, with admission is free.
“We are delighted once again to be able to host the annual World AIDS Day Concert in the beautiful surroundings of St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church in Galway, and we look forward to welcoming those who have attended over the years, as well as those who would like to come along for the first time. All are welcome to this wonderful concert, and entry is free to all,” says Joe McDonagh, CEO of Sexual Health West.
The World Health Organisation theme for World AIDS Day 2024 is ‘take the rights path’. The path that ends HIV/AIDS is a rights path. Upholding the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, and fostering inclusion of all communities, is essential for ending HIV/AIDS.
It is of great concern that the numbers of new diagnoses of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Ireland continue, with recent figures indicating there has been a 12 per cent increase in HIV notifications in 2024 compared to 2023. This is largely attributable to an increase in diagnoses among people with a previous diagnosis outside of Ireland. Significantly though, the rate of first-time HIV diagnoses continues to decrease.
The figures for rates of new STI diagnoses in Ireland remains a real concern, with figures for 2023 indicating that the STI notification rate increased by 30.7 per cent, compared to 2022. The work of Sexual Health West remains essential to help address these very worrying rises in new diagnoses of HIV & STIs in Ireland.
Ireland is contributing to the ambitious UNAIDS targets for zero new infections by 2030 by ensuring HIV treatment is available free to everyone in Ireland, through the national PrEP programme, free STI home testing through SH:24, and with free HIV testing available in Ireland through a variety of services, including opt-out antenatal; sexual health services; emergency departments, student health services, NGOs, drug and homeless services and primary care.
The HSE National Condom Distribution Service (NCDS ) continues to distribute free condom and lubricant sachets to sexual health services, third level institutions, public sector organisations and NGOs. Condoms and lubricant are available for free and can be accessed by anyone from the age of 17 years through a range of clinical services, postal services or community venues.
Sexual Health West also offers free community-based Rapid HIV and syphilis testing in many venues across the west of Ireland.
We have been very busy since the last concert as we continue to support those living with HIV across the west of Ireland. Our WISER (West of Ireland Sexuality Education Resource ) education team are busy delivering relationships and sexuality programmes in schools, colleges, third level and in communities across the west of Ireland, ensuring that all have access to education and information regarding their sexual health.
We continue to promote our excellent book ‘Sex Educated’ - the book idea came from answering thousands of questions over the years of teaching RSE in classrooms, giving our WISER team a unique and invaluable insight into the minds of young people; their worries, their curiosities, and fears and what information they are unearthing on the internet. This book meets the needs of young people in Ireland right now, and tells them what they want and need to know with evidence-based, factual, age-appropriate information.” It is available on our website at https://sexualhealthwest.ie/
World AIDS Day became the first-ever global health day 36 years ago on December 1, 1988. It has developed over the years and is now an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.
If you would like to find out more about any of our services, the concert, our book Sex Educated, or speak to someone at Sexual Health West please call 091 566266 or email [email protected] for more information.
