News Release: August 8, 2006
THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA CALLS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CURE TO THE HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC
Toronto: The prescription for stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS will not be found in a pill bottle.
To stop the crisis, we must also tackle poverty, lack of clean water, education, poor housing, and long-term development.
That's the message The United Church of Canada is sending to Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the 16th International AIDS Conference opens in Toronto on August 13.
By the end of 2005, 25 million people had died of AIDS, 40.3 million were living with HIV, and an estimated 14 million were orphaned.
"The depth of this human tragedy presents an immense challenge to the international community," says Gary Kenny, Program Co-ordinator for Southern Africa for The United Church of Canada.
"But we are not without choices," adds Kenny. He says the world must mobilize the necessary resources and political will to address the fundamental issues that contribute to the spread of AIDS.
"Providing medicine and doctors is not enough," says Kenny.
In a recent letter to the Prime Minister, The United Church of Canada urged him to announce five initiatives in anticipation of the upcoming International AIDS Conference. These were:
* Cancel 100% of the debts owed by countries with high HIV rates.
* Untie debt payments from conditions involving forced privatization of health care services, limits on hiring of health care workers, and user fees for public services.
* Increase Canada's contribution to 5 percent of the funds needed by the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and increase Canada's Official Development Assistance to 0.7 percent of Gross National Income by 2015.
* Amend Canada's pharmaceutical laws to remove disincentives for exporting less expensive medicines to countries without pharmaceutical production capabilities.
* Make a commitment to give priority to women and children in all efforts to address HIV and AIDS, and to address the fundamental gender and age inequalities that fuel the pandemic.
* Ensure adequate health care for all people in Canada with HIV, including immigrants and refugees.
With close to 3 million adherents in Canada and over 150 partners around the globe, many United Church members and too many of the church's global partners have experienced the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS firsthand, says Kenny.
He says, "We are all anxiously awaiting the Canadian government's response to our common plight."
Three United Church of Canada members will participate in the International AIDS Conference, and the church has supported participation of global partners from Brazil, China, India, Kenya, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Zambia.
For further information, or to arrange media interviews, please contact: Gary Kenny The United Church of Canada 416-231-7680 ext. 4051 gkenny@united-church.ca
Sara Speicher Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance Media Team (cell phone) 416-825-2256 sspeicher@e-alliance.ch http://www.e-alliance.ch/
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