New Liberal government encourages atmosphere of scientific openness

The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) was pleased to welcome delegates from the Public Health Agency of Canada (the Agency) in March 2016. Researchers from the BC-CfE presented an overview of the BC-CfE and discussed opportunities for collaboration.

Dr. Julio Montaner, BC-CfE Director, and research team members met with Dr. Gregory Taylor, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer and Krista Outhwaite, President, Agency, joined by Agency colleagues Bill Slater, Manager, Policy, Planning and Inter-governmental Affairs, and Sheena Sargeant, Program Consultant.

“It is truly a pleasure for the BC-CfE to share some of our research and innovative work in HIV, addictions, and viral hepatitis,” said Dr. Montaner. “We welcome this renewed dialogue and look forward to further collaborating with the Public Health Agency.”

Led by the Minister of Health, Jane Philpott, the Agency’s mission is to promote and protect the health of Canadians through leadership, partnership, innovation and action in public health. The Agency has put in place programs, services and policies that protect and promote the health of all Canadians. In Canada, public health is a responsibility that is shared by all three levels of government in collaboration with the private sector, non-governmental organizations, health professionals and the public.

Both Minister Philpott and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have been open in their support for the UNAIDS 90-90-90 Target. The global target calls for 90% of people living with HIV to know their status, 90% of all those people diagnosed with HIV to be on treatment, and 90% of people on treatment to successfully manage their infection by 2020. The 90-90-90 Target was built on the backbone of the made-in-BC Treatment as Prevention® strategy. Achieving these goals will move the world towards the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

“The Public Health Agency of Canada is committed to address HIV in Canada through the Federal Initiative and we look forward to working with Dr. Montaner and his team to achieve the 90-90-90 Target,” said Krista Outhwaite. The Federal Initiative provides funding for prevention and support programs reaching key priority populations, as well as research, surveillance, public awareness, and evaluation. The Federal Initiative signals a renewed and strengthened federal role in the Canadian response to HIV/AIDS.

The goals of the Federal Initiative are to:

• Prevent the acquisition and transmission of new infections;
• Slow the progression of the disease and improve quality of life;
• Reduce the social and economic impact of HIV/AIDS; and
• Contribute to the global effort to reduce the spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of the disease.