The HIV Support Centre

Plans for HIV Support Centre in Derry

(Taken from The Sunday)

 

The HIV Support Centre in Belfast held their first ever meeting in Derry on Thursday night and its Chief Executive told the SUNDAY it was time they brought their service to the city. 

 

The meeting, which was attended by local support groups was the first in many steps in a plan to give people living with HIV and their loved ones a choice in where they can go for support, collection of medication and avail of the support groups facilities locally instead of travelling to Belfast. 

 

Chief Executive, Kieran Harris told the SUNDAY: "This is the first meeting we've held in Derry because I want what we do in Belfast to be available to the people of Derry, I want to spread the message of who we are and that we want to offer our services in Derry because I don't believe people should have to travel to Belfast". 

 

"We want to be more visible in Derry and this is what we want to do in the North West, we're opening an office in Coleraine and Limavady and we want to work with the voluntary and community sector in Derry as well.  The meeting is about offering people a choice, I understand that there is confidentiality issues around HIV and people may wish to go to Belfast for indeed Dublin for their medication. But if they have a choice of where they can go, they do what best first in with them". 

 

Mr Harris was also very keen to make the public aware that HIV is not a 'gay disease', he said:  "People do tent to link HIV to gay people but the fastest growing rate of HIV in Northern Ireland among 14 – 29 years – old heterosexual women.  Young girls go on holiday and if they have a drink and forget to be careful, it happens and we wan to get away from the gay stigma and educate people."

 

Mr Harris added "We'll also be working with schools, colleges and voluntary groups to educate people.  What we're saying is be careful, we'd rather be contributing factor in people knowing the facts".