WHEREAS HIVAIDS and Hepatitis C infections are growing at an alarming rate amongst Aboriginal peoples throughout Northern British Columbia and HIVAIDS is also increasing amongst the general population; AND WHEREAS the problem of HIVAIDS can only be addressed through strong and effective leadership from all levels of government: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM members indicate their support for the Northern Aboriginal HIVAIDS Task Force in order to achieve a First Nations response to this issue; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that UBCM lobby health authorities, the Premier and the Prime Minister to provide sustainable human, financial and technical resources to address the growing HIVAIDS epidemic.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH British Columbia invests upwards of 100 million annually on a response to the provincial HIVAIDS epidemic, guided by goals set out within the Ministry of Healths MoH HIV framework: Priorities for Action in Managing the Epidemics: HIV and AIDS in British Columbia, 2003-2007. The Priorities for Action framework focuses on developing provincial capacity related to the prevention of HIV, as well as the care, treatment and support of those infected. To help achieve this, the framework has established two ambitious targets: -a reduction in the annual number of new HIV infections by 50 percent; and, -an increase by 25 percent in the number of HIV-positive individuals who are linked to appropriate care and treatment for the disease. The framework also calls for strengthened collaboration between health authorities, provincial agencies, community organizations and related federal authorities at the regional level. Progress can be seen since the frameworks release in 2003: -More British Columbians are being tested for HIV; -Fewer British Columbians are testing positive annually for HIV; and -A larger percentage of HIV-positive patients in BC are accessing treatment for the disease. Each of the Provinceof British Columbias health authorities is currently implementing a service plan specific to HIVAIDS and other blood-borne diseases. In order to improve HIV prevention capacity, the Ministry of Health has provided health authorities with an additional 1.2 million annually since 200506 to intensify partner notification activities through public health. The MoH also provided the BC Centre for Disease Control with 200,000 in 2006, and a further 235,000 in 2007, to support prevention planning and project work with BCs health authorities. Furthermore, the MoH is supporting inter-jurisdictional activities to address rising rates of HIV among Aboriginal youth, particularly in the Northern half of the Province of British Columbia. Along with our partners within Northern Health Authority, the MoH has participated on the Northern Aboriginal HIVAIDS Task Force since its inception. In January 2007, the MoH provided the Task Force with 40,000 to embark on regional information and needs assessment sessions with various Aboriginal communities. In addition, the burden of HIVAIDS for Aboriginal people was an issue at the forefront in the recent development of British Columbias bipartite First Nations Health Plan flowing from the 2005 Transformative Change Accord. A number of the actions defined within the plan, as well as an emerging tripartite plan engaging the federal government, explicitly reference HIV and articulate a commitment to address elements of vulnerability related to the disease.
NORTHERN HEALTH NH appreciates the recognition by the Union of BC Municipalities that HIV and Hepatitis C are a growing problem in our Region. We are particularly concerned about the disproportionate number of persons testing newly positive for HIV who are Aboriginal, and as such we also recognize, support and have contributed to the establishment of the Aboriginal HIVAIDS Task Force. We also appreciate the recognition in the resolution that HIV is a problem that can only be addressed by concerted action across government and other sectors in society. Once of the major risk factors associated with testing positive for HIV or Hepatitis C in the North is the injection of illicit addictive drugs. This is clearly a problem that prevades modern society and one that demands broadly based and effective harm reduction strategies. In addition there are cultural and personal factors that can increase individual vulnerability to drugs and drug addiction. These factors, such as family disruption and colonization lie well outside the scope of any one agency or combination of agencies although all of us can contribute to the healing process within our individual mandates and spheres of influence. As the resolution states: sustainable technical, human and financial resources are clearly needed to deal with this emerging crisis in Northern BC. FRASER HEALTH Based on data from the BC Centre for Disease Control, the rate of new HIV infections in BC has increased over the past year, but the rate in Fraser Health has remained stable. This data includes HIV in he Aboriginal population; however we acknowledge under-reporting of the number of Aboriginal people with HIV due to difficulty in capturing ethnicity. In BC there has been an overall increase in HIV infections in young Aboriginal women. In relation to our response to the HIVAIDS issue for Aboriginal people, Fraser Health has developed a case management model for comprehensive follow-up and support of people with HIVAIDS. Part of this model involves hiring Aboriginal support workers who work with Public Health nurses to provide culturally sensitive care, including counselling and education. In addition, we are piloting Point of Care testing at three of the Provincial Correction facilities located in Fraser Health. This will provide immediate results from HIV testing and an opportunity for more timely partner and case follow-up and counselling. Although our incidence rate may initially increase with more efficient testing, we anticipate the longer-term effect being decreased spread of the disease due to more comprehensive follow-up.