December 1st is World AIDS Day – an opportunity for individuals, communities and governments to reflect on the work that we have accomplished together, and that remains to be done in our response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Canada and around the world. It is an opportunity for us to harness the power of social change to prevent new infections and to improve the quality of life of those living with HIV or AIDS worldwide.
The first week of December also marks Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week. This Week aims to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS among Indigenous people and First Nations, Inuit and MÂŽtis leadership in order to create more supportive environments for Indigenous people living with HIV/AIDS.
For the past 30 years, I have been a family doctor both here in Canada and in West Africa. In my practice in Markham, Ontario, I have treated patients with HIV/AIDS and I have been grateful for the resources that are available. My experiences overseas in Africa, on the other hand, tell a very different story. There, I saw first-hand not only the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, but also the difference that can be made by working together with affected communities. In 2004 I founded “Give a Day to World AIDS” to engage Canadians in responding to HIV.
Now, as Minister of Health, I am pleased and proud to be in a position where I can do even more. Canada has provided global leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS, including the ground-breaking work of Dr. Julio Montaner and the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, and countless others. We are making many significant contributions in research, public health, treatment and prevention.
It is amazing to see how far we have come. Now, the innovative treatments and advances in prevention have allowed us to reach a point where we are talking about people “living with HIV” as a chronic condition, extending their lifetime.
Canada endorses the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) global HIV treatment targets – known as the 90-90-90 targets. These global targets call for 90% of people living with HIV to know their status, 90% of all people diagnosed with HIV to be on treatment, and 90% of people on treatment to successfully manage their infection by 2020. Achieving these goals will help get the world on track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
After decades of tireless effort, we can finally say that the tide is turning and the AIDS epidemic is on the decline. Much work still needs to be done. Now is the time to strengthen our resolve to “Get to Zero.”
In Canada, 1 in 5 live with HIV without knowing it. Stigma is a barrier that inhibits people from seeking testing and treatment. We need to work collectively so all those living with HIV in Canada are aware of their status, comfortable accessing available treatment, and can take steps to prevent the spread of infection.
This truly is an issue close to my heart. This World AIDS Day, let us celebrate what Canada has accomplished. I invite all Canadians to join me in wearing the signature red ribbon and to show our support for the men, women and children living with or affected by this condition.
The Honourable Dr. Jane Philpott
Minister of Health