Keep the Promise: World AIDS Day 2005
It has now been five years since the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS was adopted by UN member states. Since then, some important developments have been made in the field of the control of the virus, but to many, there still isn’t enough being done — too many broken promises.
According to the AIDS Epidemic Update released this month by the United Nations and the World Health Organization, there are over 40 million people worldwide living with HIV, with over 3 million people dying of AIDS this year alone. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was ?rst recognized in 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history, and in Canada, the number of reported new annual HIV infections has risen by 20% in the past five years.
The lack of media coverage in Canada about the HIV/AIDS crisis has made many feel that the problem has subsided; in fact, instances of HIV are still highly underreported to health officials, and it is estimated that 33% of the carriers of HIV in the country are unaware that they are infected with the virus. In May 2004, several government health organizations came together and created a Federal Initiative To Address HIV/AIDS in Canada. In addition to doubling federal funding for the control of the virus by 2008, the initiative works to prevent the transmission of new infections, slow the progression of the disease and increase quality of life for those infected, and reduce the social and economic impact of HIV and AIDS.
Canada has also contributed significantly on a global level to the fight against AIDS, particularly in the domains of vaccines and medical research. Last week the Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Cooperation, announced that CIDA will invest $60 million over the next six years in order to “step up the fight against this terrible disease.”
Stephanie Nixon, Canada Coordinator for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and University of Toronto professor, acknowledges Canada’s response to the global crisis, but cites the need for “an overarching vision about Canada’s role” in dealing with the worldwide epidemic. Such a vision would not only help guide CIDA and directly-related organizations, but also “all of the many others that have mandates relevant to HIV because of their links to the broader determinants of health, including international economic policy.”
Today, on World AIDS Day, we have a distinct and important opportunity to push the federal government to follow through on the pledges they have made and truly be “a leader in the global fight against HIV/AIDS” as Minister Carroll has claimed we are. The mandate is simple, and as Canadians we are in a unique position to support it: Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.