Following publication of a study by the Health Protection Agency which shows an increase in cases of infection of HIV in people aged 50 and over, the Public Health Agency has called on people to remember that HIV can affect anyone.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) welcomes Transplant Awareness Week, emphasising the importance of transplants which may not be possible without the generosity of organ donors. Last year, 3,504 organ transplants were carried out in the UK, thanks to the kindness of 1,844 deceased and living donors - the highest number on record.

The PHA has welcomed the launch of a new community initiative in Derry, the Drink Think project. The project, which is funded by the Big Lottery, seeks to encourage people and communities to consider the impact excessive alcohol consumption has on them, their families and their communities.

Following a number of returning holiday makers from Turkey having to be given anti-rabies treatment, the Public Health Agency has issued a warning to avoid animal bites when travelling abroad.

As the sun continues to shine in Northern Ireland this summer, the Public Health Agency (PHA), in partnership with Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF), continues to encourage everyone to take care in the sun.

Acknowledging the publication of the first sub-regional bulletin of the Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System, Dr Carolyn Harper, Director of Public Health, PHA said: “We have known for some time that good health is not experienced equally in Northern Ireland.

Lurgan Young at Heart Men’s Club are brushing up on their cooking skills and learning to dance thanks to the Southern Investing for Health Partnership (SIHP). The Club, whose members are mainly in the 60+ age group, encourages members to actively engage in physical and social activities, promoting a greater understanding of the links between exercise, diet, health and wellbeing.

Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal, disease spread by mosquitoes. It is common in many tropical countries and is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium. There are four types of Plasmodium parasites: Plasmodium falciparum, vivax, malariae, and ovale and they are all carried by night-biting Anopheles mosquitoes.

Pregnant women are identified as being one of the groups at highest risk of infection and complications if they catch swine flu. Therefore the Public Health Agency (PHA) strongly recommends that pregnant women receive the vaccination over the summer months to protect themselves and their baby.

The first annual report of the Director of Public Health for Northern Ireland was published today. This significant report highlights the many public health challenges that affect people in Northern Ireland. Dr Carolyn Harper, Director of Public Health leads the public health team that tackles this complex agenda, working with many statutory, community and voluntary partner organizations across health, local government, education, housing and other sectors.