The ‘Traveller Health Needs Assessment Report for County Monaghan’ was launched this afternoon.
The report represents the culmination of interviews with 54 Travellers in the county assessing their specific health needs.
The social determinants of health featuring most prominently in those interviews included issues around education, high employment rates and accommodation. 91% of interviews respondents spoke of concerns around substance use.
The report shows a clear need for a Primary Health Care for Travellers Project (PHCTP) in Monaghan, where currently there is no local Traveller organisation and little infrastructure for Travellers. A Primary Health Care for Travellers Project (PHCTP) in Monaghan would fulfill a recommendation under the National Traveller Health Action Plan (NTHAP) 2022–2027.
Mary Brigid Collins, Primary Health Care Co-ordinator at Pavee Point, welcomed the publication of the report but stressed that what is needed now is action, “It is necessary now that a PHCTP in Monaghan is setup, one that creates employment for Traveller women and can get Traveller men engaged too.”
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