Limerick to celebrate Pride this week
Key sexual health and wellbeing partners are grand marshalls of Limerick Pride Parade
LIMERICK is set to be a kaleidoscope of colour and celebration this week for the annual Limerick Pride Festival.
HSE Mid-West are highlighting the importance of embracing sexual identity, but also the importance of making sexual health and testing a priority.
The annual pride parade takes place tomorrow (Saturday, July 12) and will feature members of the Gender Orientation, Sexual Health and HIV (GOSHH) team as the parade’s grand marshalls.
GOSHH are celebrating ten years in the Mid-West with a diverse range of support services across the region.
Their staff provide a safe, confidential and welcoming environment for everyone.
As well as the parade, there will be free rapid HIV, Hepatitis C and syphilis testing from the GOSHH team outside The Hunt Museum on Saturday.
The HSE also offers free home testing packs to test for gonorrhoea and chlamydia, which can be ordered free-of-charge at www.sh24.ie. The uptake of this free service has been encouraging following a localised awareness campaign in late 2023.
Dr Kenneth Beatty, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, Public Health HSE Mid-West, and chairperson of the Mid-West Sexual Health and Wellbeing committee, said: “While Pride is a brilliant opportunity to celebrate diversity and empowerment it’s also an opportunity to promote safe sexual health.
“In the first five months of the year, we have seen over 380 cases of chlamydia and over 160 cases of gonorrhoea in the Mid-West, so it’s more important than ever to make sure you practice safe sex, are aware of the symptoms of STIs and get tested (either through SH24, local STI clinics or your GP) if you’re worried about any symptoms.”
Verena Tarpey, GOSHH CEO, said: “We are fortunate to have such an excellent working relationship with HSE Mid-West. The Sexual Health and Wellbeing committee allows us to share data, knowledge and to work collectively to promote good sexual health for all. We widely promote the free home testing packs services in partnership with our funders.
“We are also extremely proud to be an NGO partner of the National Condom Distribution Scheme. Equally, we work with communities who are not as empowered to access these vital services without our assistance.”