St Mary’s recently hosted a debate on health issues that are particularly relevant to the African community in the UK and Ireland. Specialists from organisations working in the fields of sickle cell anaemia, HIV/AIDS, cancer and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) led an open discussion on the nature and the extent of these health problems, the challenges faced in obtaining adequate medical care and the response by government to dealing with the complexities of providing for these patients. Members of the African community in Northern Ireland engaged in a lively question and answer session.

The discussion was chaired by Dr Elizabeth Mitchell, the Chief Executive Officer for the Institute for Public Health in Ireland. The key speakers (pictured) were Apolonia Mbondiya (founder, DAM Cancer Foundation and Secretary of Africa House), Olatunji Sule (General Coordinator of the TunMicro Sickle Cell Foundation and biomedical scientist), Salma Hossain (representative from FGM Awareness, Somalia), Dawn Love (Quality and Services Development Manager for Positive Life) and Dr Gerard McCann (Senior Lecturer in European Studies, St Mary’s University College Belfast).

The event was organised by Africa House (NI) and the Centre for Global Justice at the College.