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PERFORMER AND ACTIVIST RORY O’NEILL, aka Panti, has urged gay and bisexual men to get tested for HIV as new figures show the diagnosis rates have increased.
New research has found that the vast majority of gay and bisexual men (83 per cent) see the risk of contracting HIV as either unlikely or very unlikely. At the same time, however, more than two-thirds have had unprotected sex.
More than one in four people who participated in the study had never been tested for HIV.
“As someone who is HIV positive and leads a healthy life, I would encourage everybody to get tested,” said Rory O’Neill.
There were 344 diagnoses of HIV in Ireland last year, with the rate remaining relatively stable, increasing from 7.0 to 7.5 per 100,000 population over the past four years. However there has been a major increase in diagnosis rates among men who have sex with men, accounting for almost half of new diagnoses.
Research by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre found that there has been an increase of almost 180 per cent in diagnosis rates since 2005 for men who have sex with men.
A study last year at the Mater Hospital found that the rate of undiagnosed HIV cases in Dublin is high by international standards.
“Testing is essential to prevent the spread of HIV,” said O’Neill. “It also ensures that people who are HIV positive get the treatment they need early and can go on to lead a productive and normal life”.
The research, carried out by Janssen and the Gay Health Network, was part of a campaign to encourage gay and bisexual men to get tested or retested for HIV.
The groups have created an online map to show where you can get a free HIV or STI test in Ireland, including opening hours and contact details for each centre.
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fair play Bob. massive respect.
“Were people dying in the United States, in France, and in Germany and in England”.
Yet when people were dying in Northern Ireland, “Sir” Bob was happy to pal around and accept titles from Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative nutters.
you begrudging good-for-nothing. You’re not fit to walk in his shadow. What have you ever done for mankind except begrudge those who try to do something worthwhile?
Sir Bob is a dude! he’s been witness to a lot of tragedy including personal tragedy and he just keeps plugging away. With his money he could easily fade into the background and live a handy life but he chooses to campaign and raise money. Some man for one man!
Eh… just Bob… not a real sir….
Brian,
People call him ‘Sir Bob’ as a nickname because he got some kind of knighthood – KBE, I think – from the queen.
If you were pedantic though, you could technically say ‘he’s not actually Sir Bob’.
And if you knew what you were talking about you’d know he received an honoury knighthood… just like Tony o Reilly. … you also know that they are given to non UK or commonwealth people and that the title Sir does not go along with it…. I doubt very much Geldof refers to himself as sir just the wannabe idiots spouting on about it
Yes, a KBE …and we call him Sir Bob because it’s his nickname.
Don’t worry about it anyway, Brian – that’s the main thing.
Well put Elaine
Ah, come off it, Journal. My comment was fair comment. Why delete it?
All I said was, if he focused on his own immediate family instead of trying to save the world, would both he, and they by extension, be better off?
He said as much himself ffs.
If your focus was eleswhere we would all be better off Niall
Why would he need to be “focusing” on a grown adult daughter who has a husband to look after he and plenty of money?
@niall I imagine he’s the kind of guy who looks at the bigger picture not his immediate personal issues. And to be fair what can he do when his grown up married children do drugs in secret? The world as a whole is better off with Sir Bob doing what he does!
Well, Neal, his now tragically deceased daughter is on the record as saying – to paraphrase – he never bothered much with the grand kids.
….its another case of bob the builder so…….Leave it to bob we don’t have to think for ourselves or consider inacting anything he proposes…he is saying that ending these constructed paradigms that a billion people face today is possible and within reach….Elaine…..is there something that you could manifest to carry his words or is the blade on his sholder just a division of power?
So what? You don’t have to bother with your grand kids, they’re your kid’s responsibility.
That’s true. So by your logic …..he certainly doesn’t have to bother with aids.
No I don’t suppose there is but at least you can sit back behind one of your latest anonymous profiles and feel really super intelligent after that comment. So I guess in a roundabout way I helped one person today…. No need to thank me ;)
I don’t know why he is attacking Australians as the video says.
They topped the World Giving Index a few years ago, while he dodges his tax in Britain.
I would have though with his life experiences and all his millions and all the good advice he dishes out he’d have made his family and home bomb proof before saving the world. If anyone could have saved that child from her self he could.
Bob should marry Sinead O Connor —- they both are so alike it’s uncanny, between the 2 of them they could save a lot of people. If they need any more help good old Bono could save the day. We are lucky in Ireland to have the 3 of them — they seem to know everything and know how everything should be done. Did they go to the same school or are they just typical Irish People ? They could be called the Holy Trinity or I can’t think of an appropriate neme just now.
Peaches was lucky she had sterile needles twitch or no twitch. Would the 100 experts or so who perished on the Malaysian flight consider their work as you can do this shit!!!!
have your say