We were delighted to welcome a wonderful group of HIV activists, social workers, medical professionals, faith leaders, surveillance specialists, community workers and many more to the launch of Mind the Gap – our report on the low uptake of HIV testing among Black African people in Ireland.
Ifedinma Dimbo presented the findings which explored the role of the HIV=death narrative in the memories of black-African people in Ireland. She also explained the ways in which those we interviewed perceive illness and the cultural barriers at work when assuming health checks are embraced in the same way by all people. Ifedinma also highlighted the powerful impact of stigma and how it plays out through secrecy and privacy in black African communities.
ACET CEO, Richard Carson explained how the findings impact ACET’s own project on awareness and testing with faith communities and then led a discussion on integration in Ireland which challenged those present to de-centre the White-Irish assumptions which shape so much of the work in this area.
To download and read the report click below or email us at dublin@acet.ie to receive a hard copy in the post.
