The DUP has raised equality and finance concerns on a council motion to fast track diagnosis of HIV patients
An Alliance motion to “fast track” HIV diagnosis in Lisburn and Castlereagh has been labelled “discriminatory” by the DUP.
The council’s corporate committee recently debated signing the Paris Declaration to ‘strive towards eliminating the stigma of HIV and ending new diagnosis of the illness by 2030’.
The local authority was told it would need to provide use of its property four times a year for HIV testing, but “serious concerns” and requests for legal advice were raised over priority health treatment and unknown costs.
Bringing the motion forward, Councillor Jamie Harpur said: “The most recent figures (2022) show there are 1,049 men and 299 women in Northern Ireland living with HIV.
“One third of diagnosis at a late stage can lead to a fatal outcome.
“The initiative to sign up the Paris Declaration is being brought by the HIV charity Positive Life, who would require the use of council property about four times a year for HIV testing on significant days such as Pride.
“This will reinforce our commitment of eliminating the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS and striving for no new HIV diagnoses by 2030.”
Lisburn South DUP Councillor Alan Givan responded: “I am against the signing of this as we do not understand the financial impact on the council as there is none in this motion or report in chambers.
“I have very serious concerns about the implications for this council as I have read the Paris Declaration and I would advise all other members to do the same.
“It says that we must fast track response for vulnerable people of HIV and develop funding and strategy for an action plan and hold ourselves accountable and adjust our response if needed.
"It is a lot of work, we may need to employ someone and that is extra finance.
“We are being asked to sign a blank cheque which we will be held to like a contract.
“I have never known this council to agree to anything before we know the expenditure. Without seeing the financial commitment it is a big concern.”
The Fast-Track Cities Paris Declaration has already been signed by Belfast City Council as well as Derry City and Strabane District Council. Mr Givan added: “Our NHS waiting lists are the biggest in the UK, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has just announced we need hundreds of millions and we are in dire straits.
“Imagine looking your own mother in the eye and telling her someone else is being fast tracked when they have been on a waiting list for months if not years, yet here we are being asked to sign a contract to fast track some people over another.
“There are people with coronary heart problems, kidney dialysis and hip replacements waiting five, six, seven, eight years.
“We expect equality in this council and I believe the vast majority of people from Lisburn and Castlereagh would see that.
“This is discriminatory, I would ask our officers have they sought legal advice on this matter. We can’t treat some residents better than others, there needs to be equality of opportunity.” A majority vote carried Cllr Harpur’s motion with 10 for and six against.