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December 1, 1998
(Health and Community Services)


The following statement was issued today by Joan Marie Aylward, Minister of Health and Community Services. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

World AIDS Day

I rise today to ask Honourable Members to join me, and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador in recognizing December 1, 1998 as World AIDS Day, in this province and around the world.

Over the past number of years, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, in partnership with many community organizations, agencies and individuals, has supported HIV/AIDS education, prevention, treatment and support.

The new health and community services regions are playing a significant role in this effort, particularly in rural and isolated areas of the province. At the community level, increasing emphasis is being placed on partnerships with service organizations to reach youth, both in and out of the school environment, and make linkages with addictions and mental health programs where necessary. In addition, HIV prevention and risk reduction are being integrated, through partnership with the Department of Education, into the new health and personal development programs, for intermediate and senior high school students.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize in the House today the success of the social marketing campaign implemented in collaboration with the Newfoundland and Labrador AIDS Committee. Television ads carrying a broad prevention and risk reduction message were targeted towards sexually active adolescents and young adults, and emphasized the importance of parent and mentor support.

This campaign reflects the approach of many of the prevention and early intervention initiatives of our department. By increasing people's understanding of the risks, we are enabling them to better protect themselves from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The Department of Health and Community Services is also involved in ongoing research on treatment and support of HIV and AIDS-related illnesses. An excellent example of this is the Community Health Resource Project being undertaken by Memorial University. The Department of Health and Community Services has partnered with the Department of Human Resources and Employment, the Newfoundland and Labrador AIDS committee, and Health Canada, to extend funding and support to this initiative.

With the cooperation of Persons Living With HIV/AIDS, researchers have been able to collect data about utilization of human resources and employment, health and community services, drug therapies, family and volunteer assistance. The study will assist community agencies and health planners in developing future strategies for improving policies, programs and services relevant to HIV and AIDS.

Today it is important to acknowledge that while HIV/AIDS still carries a terminal outcome, there is potential that the new drug therapies will enable individuals to pursue or continue educational attainment, and transition to the labour market. One of our challenges therefore, is to continue to coordinate service delivery which increases quality of life, optimizes health, and reduces the costs of providing health and community services. To that end Newfoundland, in its role on the Federal/Provincial, Territorial Advisory Committee on AIDS is participating in national and international work which will increase our knowledge of:

  • The Prevention of HIV Transmission from Mother to Infant

  • HIV/AIDS as it relates to Aboriginal Peoples.

  • HIV Drug Therapies: Cost and Access

  • HIV Rehabilitation

I encourage everyone to recognize World AIDS Day in Newfoundland and Labrador. Through continued education and prevention we can reduce the numbers of people contracting this terrible disease and through world-wide reasearch, hopefully we will soon find a cure.

1998 12 01 3:10 p.m.


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