|
Health
Promotion Agency supports World AIDS Day.
Today the Health Promotion Agency (HPA) added its support
to World AIDS Day, the annual event in the UNAIDS calendar
which aims to raise awareness of this deadly disease.
Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the
HPA, said: “This
year the theme of World AIDS Day is to reduce stigmatisation
and discrimination against people living with the disease.
It is a sad fact that even now, decades on from when the
disease was first discovered, people are still ignorant of
how HIV/AIDS can be transmitted and continue to treat sufferers
badly. Many of those infected have caught the disease through
blood transfusions, or women who did not know they were pregnant
have passed it on to their babies. This day is to encourage
people to be less prejudiced in their attitude to those who
have the disease and ultimately to encourage everyone to
be vigilant about their own sexual health.”
HIV /AIDS is just one of a number of sexually transmitted
infections (STIs) that can have devastating health implications
for a person. In an effort to raise awareness of how easily
these infections can be transmitted, the HPA has an ongoing
poster advertising campaign promoting safer sex. The information
contained in the posters is clear and factual in an effort
to ensure people are well informed so their sexual behaviour
does not put their health or even their lives at risk.
END
Further information:
The HPA’s public information campaign targets 18-30
year olds by placing posters on the back of toilet doors
in pubs and clubs throughout Northern Ireland in selected
venues that are popular with the age group. For more
information contact
Jenny Dougan or David Thompson on 028 9031 1611
|
