Health and Community Services
December 1, 2014
Promoting Community Awareness
Provincial Government Recognizes World AIDS Day
The Provincial Government is recognizing December 1 as World AIDS Day to increase awareness of the disease in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“World AIDS Day is dedicated to promoting awareness about AIDS and the global spread of HIV. It is also an opportunity to remember those who have passed as a result of HIV/AIDS and to offer our condolences to their loved ones. I encourage all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to join with me in wearing a red ribbon to promote AIDS awareness, compassion and hope for the day we discover a cure.”
- The Honourable Steve Kent, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Community Services
The theme for World AIDS Day 2014 is Getting to Zero, which has the ultimate goal of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths worldwide. HIV is one of the greatest social, economic and health challenges in the world.
According to the recent Gap Report from the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), 1.5 million people worldwide died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2013. By the end of 2013, an estimated 35 million people around the world were living with HIV. In Canada, though new HIV infections have dropped by 38 per cent since 2001, nine people are newly infected with HIV every day.
“I applaud UNAIDS and the World AIDS Campaign organization, along with the AIDS Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador and other AIDS advocacy organizations here in the province, across the country and around the world, for their tremendous level of dedication. The significant positive impacts these organizations have on the daily lives of families and entire communities cannot be overstated.”
- Minister Kent
The Safe Works Access Program for needle exchange, implemented by the AIDS Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador with support from the Provincial Government, continues to provide a vital community service to prevent HIV and Hepatitis B and C being transmitted from one infected person to another through shared needles and other injection equipment.
QUICK FACTS
- The Provincial Government is recognizing December 1 as World AIDS Day to increase awareness of the disease in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- In 2013, 1.5 million people worldwide died of AIDS-related illnesses. By the end of 2013, an estimated 35 million people around the world were living with HIV.
- New HIV infections have dropped by 38 per cent in Canada since 2001; however, nine people are newly infected with HIV every day.
- Residents are encouraged to wear a red ribbon to promote AIDS awareness, compassion and hope for the day a cure is discovered.
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Media contact:
Hugh Donnan
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 725-6511
hughdonnan@gov.nl.ca
2014 12 01 10:10 a.m.