A round-up of the week's other health stories in brief
DOMESTIC ABUSE TALK: The School of Social Work & Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin, is hosting a public lecture entitled Beginning where women and children are: Outreach and advocacy approaches to domestic violence on Thursday.
The professor of sexualised violence from London Metropolitan University and director of the child and woman abuse studies unit, Liz Kelly, will address the need for early intervention in domestic abuse and community-based responses to victims.
The lecture will be held in the Walton Theatre, Trinity College Dublin from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. Admission is free. For further information, contact Fiona Clarke, tel: 01-6082423, E-mail: clarkef@tcd.ie
DENTAL ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT: Dr Gerry Cleary has been appointed president of the Irish Dental Association (IDA), the body that represents the majority of Ireland's general dental practitioners, public dental surgeons and specialists.
Dr Cleary was officially appointed at the association's recent agm, and takes over from Dr Gerry McCarthy, who has held the position for the past 12 months.
LIFE-SAVING INFORMATION: A new life-saving initiative which will provide crucial information for emergency staff and GPs in a medical crisis as well as peace of mind for those 'at-risk' in the community was launched last week.
The Personal Information Pack (Pip) provides emergency staff with medical and personal information of the owner which could facilitate a rapid and more effective treatment.
The Pip is a container stored in the fridge with medical information of the owner, which includes current medication regimes and allergies. Emergency workers including An Garda Síochána, the Fire and Ambulance Service have received training to recognise the green sticker which those with PIP place on the frame of their hall door.
Pip is available from Garda Community Relations, Muintir na Tire, Community Alert, Neighbourhood Watch and other community organisations and will eventually be available in GP surgeries and pharmacies.
WEBSITE AWARD: Vhi.ie has won the award for best website in the best online portal category at the 2005 Eircom Golden Spider Irish Internet Awards held in Dublin last week.
The Vhi.ie website provides a range of health-related services available from any website in Ireland. With over 300,000 visits per month, and 112,000 registrants, it is also one of the biggest. The range of services on the site includes a health and lifestyle channel; SMS services; an online health shop; and facilities to purchase health insurance and other products online.
NEW RENAL UNIT: A new nephro-urology (renal) unit at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin was officially opened by President McAleese on Friday.
The renal unit provides a multidisciplinary facility for the treatment of children with kidney and bladder disorders including those who require kidney transplant.
In the past, children suffering from renal disorders were treated in many different areas of the hospital. The new unit allows children to be treated on one ward with direct access to the nephrology and urology team services.
Dr Mary Waldron, consultant nephrologist at Our Lady's, said: "The renal unit also provides a vital support service to other paediatric specialties at Our Lady's such as cardiology, oncology and intensive care patients."
GLOBAL LEADER: One of the country's top medical technology experts has said that Ireland will be the global leader in medical technologies by 2020.
Michael Loftus, chairman of the Irish Medical Devices Association and interim president of the Medical Technologies Sector Council, made his comments during an address to the AIB/IDA Ireland Irish Medical Technologies Industry Forum. "By 2020 Ireland will be recognised as a world-class centre of medical education and research," Mr Loftus said. "We will be a world class centre of excellence with proactive clinical research and practice that will make us the envy of the medical technology world," he said.
RISK EQUALISATION: The majority of the population supports the introduction of risk equalisation in the health insurance industry, according to a survey carried out by Lansdowne Market Research on behalf of Amicus, Ireland's second-largest trade union.
The survey found that 49 per cent of those surveyed favoured its introduction, with 16 per cent having no opinion on the issue. Some 34 per cent are opposed to the introduction of risk equalisation, which is currently being considered by Minister for Health Mary Harney, who is required to make her decision this month.