Wednesday, September 12, 2007
HIV/AIDS & Funding
Where is AIDS funding going? In 2004, the government announced an increase of funding to the national HIV/AIDS strategy, however little of that funding has even shown up at community based AIDS organizations. As a result, these organizations, which provide direct services to PWAs, have experienced significant hardships in the past couple of years. Many have had to cut services and programs which has impacted the health and well-being of persons living with HIV. BCPWA has joined forces with AIDS service organizations across the country to lobby members of parliament to pressure the federal government to meet its commitment to improve services for people living with HIV/AIDS. What do you think about this? What can you do?
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4 comments:
I've lobbied my MLA & MP but so far no results - will continue and encourage others to do likewise...
I wonder what senior government officials think about the situation? People that run the Public Health Agency of Canada like David Butler-Jones or Frank Plummer must be held accountable too.
I'd like to see some, just some funding devoted to providing services to heterosexual men. There are; IDU services, MSM service, Women's services and a myriad of ethnic specific services across the country. Hetero men have nothing to access across the entire country that is specific to their needs. Nothing to address; relationships with women, stigmatization as a heterosexual man, or misandry. Women are at risk and the ones who are infecting them have nowhere to go. I'm not condoning the actions of those who knowingly infect others but with no service, there is no education, there is no healing, there is essentially nothing. Something needs to be done.
Agreed annon Sept 26th. Population demographics have changed dramatically in recent years. Building the capacity for all community orgs to provide in many forms (websites, advertizements, articles, handouts, posters, phone lines) for the provision of resource availability disemination for information, education, support, treatment info, all services available.
However, relying on the government to provide funding for capacity building of info/resource availability disemination can be fruitless. Other avenues to secure big $ by collaborating with each other as communmity individuals and as community orgs, as well with academic researchers. The Canadian Institute for Health Research gives out hundreds of millions of $'s each year, (Fed & Provincial Hdealthcare $'s) to encouraqge, promote and dev elope initiatives we as a community, as individuals can take advantage of.
A lack of hetero info/resoiurces/services/support? Seek collaborative partnerships with research funders, the Community Based Research Network, the BC Centre for Exc`ellence in HIV/AIDS, the Canadian HIV TRials Network, other community PWA's and community gropups...working together a plan can be created to conduct a 'Pilot Study', basically a questionare driven information gathering study to access the true defecits in support/services/etc of the hetero community to provide proof to funding agencies that there is a major need for policy development/program provision. More research funding can be sought to develop these program/prograsms and even m ore $ for their contiued maintence, and assessment of success.
It is hard work and it takes years, but sitting around waiting/hoping ther government will just magically provide the exact services and resources the hetero community, or any community needs is almost fruitless!
Macadavy? Do you know about the Canadian Treatment Actiion Council and it's BC member's Network. I lead BC's CTAC network and if you're interestred would like to talkm with youm about collaborating efforts to move foreward on this issue.
I'm Sam Friedman, scfman1@hotmail.com, 778-737-8830. Please contact me without descretion if interested in joining efforts?
Peace to everyone and success for us all!
Sam Friedman, BC CTAC Network Rep/Leader.
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