ACT UP Cork member and PLWHIV, Will Kennedy speaks about his disappointment with HIV treatment services in Cork. Photograph by Stephen Moloney.

Developments in the clinical treatment of HIV have progressed dramatically since its first appearance back in the 1980’s. Back then, a HIV diagnosis almost always ended in death. Happily, since the advent of effective antiretroviral treatment, this is no longer the case. The life expectancy of someone with HIV who is on antiretroviral treatment is now approximately the same as the rest of the population.

Not only are those of us with HIV living longer, healthier lives, we now know that when we are on effective antiretroviral treatment with a suppressed (“undetectable”) viral load we cannot pass on HIV to our sexual partners. The Undetectable=Untransmittable campaign is working to promote this revolutionary information. Despite this, research indicates that HIV-related stigma is still an enormous challenge. Stigma can impact negatively on physical health, and even more severely on mental health.

My name is Will Kennedy, am a 60 year-old gay man and have been living with HIV for the past 11 years. am also a member of ACT UP Cork, which was set up in May of this year. Since being diagnosed have been attending the Cork University Hospital clinic for my HIV care. There is no social worker, or counsellor attached to the clinic so while you are physically very well looked after, the whole mental impact HIV has on your life is not dealt with at all. feel a much more holistic approach is needed.

My intention in writing this article is not to attack or criticise the clinic staff, who do excellent work, but to highlight the impact of the lack of resources and funding and a general lack of interest on the part of Government and the HSE in dealing with needs that go beyond antiretroviral treatment. The HIV clinic does not have its own designated space, instead sharing space in the Infectious Diseases clinic.

Many people using the clinic have spoken of their fears when attending. They fear they may meet people they know, leading to their HIV statuses being revealed. This worry can make an appointment something to be feared, which in turn affects mental health. The introduction of a designated clinic space would be a great benefit to us.

One of the most negative aspects of the clinic is the atmosphere of secrecy. There’s a kind of ‘hush-hush’ approach that as someone living with HIV you are encouraged to adopt around your illness. remember being told, “you don’t have to tell anyone about your HIV, you don’t have to be the poster boy for HIV”. This was back in 2007, but it really has not changed. Although well-meaning, this type of message from the medical staff only adds to a person’s own feeling of shame.

Speaking to fellow clinic users over the past 11 years other aspects of the treatment there need to be addressed. Only some people have had bone density tests - something anyone on long term treatment should have done at least once a year. Also, although a regular syphilis test is supposed to be carried out at least every six months, many say they have only had the test once or twice over the years.

Here in Cork we are fortunate to have access to a HIV support group and free counselling service, provided by the Sexual Health Centre at Peter Street. However, despite many efforts by the Sexual Health Centre (where am a volunteer) to promote these services the response from the clinic has been very hit and miss. We have been turned down when asking to put up posters advertising our services or give small business cards to patients.

Services provided by places like the Sexual Health Centre make an enormous difference to the lives of PLWHIV. In addition to facilitating support, they allow for peer interaction, a recognised and valued resource for individuals, and a part of the care program for PLWHIV available in the United Kingdom.

We know that the clinic is under a lot of pressure including lack of proper space and lack of funding. Surely one of the ways of alleviating these pressures would be to let people know that there are excellent services and support available apart from the clinic. Some of the problems that exist can be dealt with simply by a change in attitude and a more open approach, with greater cooperation between the clinic and the voluntary services that are available.

On behalf of ACT UP Cork, have written to the clinic in Cork about the issues raised in this article but got no reply. would now like to give the clinic the right to publicly reply to this article.