AIDS Groups Push for Stable Federal Funding for the Fight Against AIDS

By Maria E. Molina
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

OTTAWA, Canada - Government support for the fight against AIDS has been cut by 15% since the signing of an all-party agreement in 2005, which provided for $85 million annually in AIDS funding. Some of the funding has been redirected to the development of an HIV vaccine and away from treatment, support, and prevention — a move that advocates say has had a crippling effect on Canada's fight against AIDS.

Activists say money shouldn't be taken out of education and community support programs to pay for the hunt for a vaccine.  More funding could lead to more needle exchange programs and drug injections sites as unsafe drug use is a key factor in spreading the disease.

Now, AIDS organizations are using the federal election to try to get Ottawa to restore annual HIV/AIDS funding that was cut by the Conservatives.  Throughout the federal election campaign, the coalition of advocacy groups asked the five major political parties about their support for funding AIDS programs and their stance on including treatment and harm-reduction initiatives, such as safe injection sites and needle exchanges, in the National Drug Strategy.

Commitments for more stable federal funding for AIDS came from the Liberals, the Green Party, the Bloc and the New Democratic Party. Conservatives have not responded.

The advocacy groups accused the Conservatives’ National Anti-Drug Strategy of favoring punishment over harm reduction and treatment.

There are almost 60,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Canada and a few thousand new infections occur every year.

For more information, please see:

Thestar.com - AIDS groups push for stable federal funding - 10 October 2008

Toronto Sun - AIDS funding a voting issue - 10 October 2008

CBC News - Advocates want funding restored for community AIDS programs – 9 October 2008