Sir, – The Minister for Health Leo Varadkar was interviewed on the News at One on RTÉ radio on Thursday, about the launch of the National Sexual Health Strategy.
He made reference to the ABC programme of education on HIV and STI (sexually transmitted infection) prevention, successfully used in other countries. He correctly identified “A” as referring to abstinence, however he erroneously stated that “B” referred to barrier methods and “C” to contraception.
Incredibly, he seems to share a widespread misapprehension that contraception other than barrier methods can prevent STIs. They do not and cannot of course, and this is dangerous attitude because it actually leads to an increased risk of developing STI’s.
The ABC system referred to by the Minister, in fact comprises the messages, “Abstinence, Be faithful to one partner, Condom usage”.
This programme has lead to reduction in HIV in several countries, most notably in Uganda, where prevalence dropped from 15 per cent to 5 per cent of the population between 1990 and 2001.
The reduction in number of partners has been confirmed in studies as being a major factor in this success story. I could find no reference to reducing the number of sexual partners, or staying faithful to one partner, as I perused the National Sexual Health Strategy this morning.
Did this Freudian slip on the Minister’s part indicate a deliberate exclusion of the original ABC principles from the national strategy? – Yours, etc,
Dr HUGH NOHILLY,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.