Premier John Horgan has issued the following statement in recognition of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, 2018:
“2018 marks the 30th anniversary of the first World AIDS Day. On this day in particular, British Columbians wear the red ribbon to acknowledge people living with HIV, remember those we have lost to this disease and recognize the many people leading the fight to eliminate this epidemic.
“Led by the groundbreaking work of Dr. Julio Montaner and the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, B.C. has been at the forefront of research, prevention and treatment for people living with and at risk of acquiring HIV.
“Recognizing there is no cure or vaccine for HIV, we do have a made in B.C. strategy – Treatment as Prevention – that with sustained treatment and care, the virus will be rendered undetectable in the blood and will make HIV non-transmittable.
“B.C. has been a leader in HIV research since the early days of the epidemic including the implementation of highly active antiretroviral therapy and in providing the groundwork for the global UNAIDS 90-90-90 target. This United Nations program is built on the backbone of B.C.’s world-renowned Treatment as Prevention strategy.
“To further help people live longer and healthier lives, this year our government made pre-exposure prophylaxis, known as PrEP, available to all British Columbians at high risk of HIV infection. PrEP medication prevents new HIV infections and is available at no cost to the patient.