Alberta doctors form HIV consortium to counter global aid cuts and protect newcomers
A new coalition led by infectious disease specialists aims to prevent a resurgence of HIV in Canada as the U.S. cuts global support for prevention programs in developing countries.
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A new Albertan consortium of infectious disease specialists is sounding a global alarm about a potential HIV resurgence tied to sudden cuts in U.S.-led global HIV support.
Dr. M. John Gill and Dr. Raynell Lang of the University of Calgary formed the Canadian Strategic Consortium to Address the Changing Policies and Environment of Global HIV Care (CanSCAPE-HIV) to find preventive solutions before it's too late. The cuts to global aid, set to begin in January 2025, threaten to unravel HIV control in developing countries where the virus has been well managed — and could trickle down to immigrants arriving in Canada.
"The rapidity and the sudden loss of global aid has caused no end of challenges. Cutting back on funding means that we're unleashing an epidemic where it has been well controlled," Gill said. He noted that the economics are backwards: HIV management costs far less in developing nations than the full-blown costs of uncontrolled HIV, which burden individuals, societies, healthcare systems, and social stability.
Where HIV is stigmatized and sometimes criminalized, cuts to information and support compound the damage. Migrants arriving in Canada legally — tested during immigration processing, a positive result does not prevent entry — may arrive with only five days' worth of medication. They must then navigate fear, misinformation, and potential deportation worries to access ongoing care.
CanSCAPE-HIV hopes to pressure federal and provincial governments to better support migrants and newcomers living with HIV. "We need to be united in our efforts to try and improve care for migrants and newcomers coming to Canada, ensure that they are well supported and that they have the appropriate communication and knowledge to know how to receive care and where to go," Lang said.
The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange reported 65,270 Canadians living with HIV in 2022, with approximately 7,050 of those living undiagnosed and untreated.
What specific federal and provincial policy changes is CanSCAPE-HIV requesting?
How many migrants with undiagnosed HIV have entered Canada in the past two years?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
Who founded CanSCAPE-HIV?
Dr. M. John Gill and Dr. Raynell Lang of the University of Calgary formed the Canadian Strategic Consortium to Address the Changing Policies and Environment of Global HIV Care (CanSCAPE-HIV).
When do the U.S. cuts to global HIV aid begin?
The cuts to global aid are set to begin in January 2025.
How many Canadians were living with HIV in 2022?
The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange reported 65,270 Canadians living with HIV in 2022, with approximately 7,050 of those living undiagnosed and untreated.
How much medication do migrants arriving in Canada with HIV typically have?
Migrants arriving in Canada legally with HIV may arrive with only five days' worth of medication.
