200% rise in HIV tests in Southern Trust

Last year, 1467 patients were tested for the disease at the Southern Trust’s Genitourinary Medicine clinic at Daisyhill Hospital, a rise of almost 200 per cent since 2005, when there were just 538 tests.

Since then, a total of 15,883 HIV tests have been carried out in the local trust.

Across Northern Ireland, 81 men and 22 women were diagnosed with HIV during 2015, bringing the total being treated for the virus which damages the immune system to almost three times what it was in 2006.

The 103 cases of HIV diagnosis last year is the highest number ever to be recorded in a single year.

Ninety-three percent of the 934 people currently being treated for the virus are receiving antiretroviral therapy which is a combination of drugs which aim to suppress the virus and stop progression of the disease.

The figures were released on the Detail TV, an online investigative news website.

Dr Say Quah, consultant in Genitourinary Medicine at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, called for a new strategy in dealing with the rise in cases.

He said: “Year on year, there is an increase in the number diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections.

“We have many health and social care and volunteer sector organisations that can contribute greatly to improve sexual health care – but we need our Assembly to set a strategic direction so services can be developed in tandem with health promotion with a goal of collaboration between all stakeholders.”