Sunday, December 1st marks National AIDS Day and local Grandmothers for Africa are continuing to focus on the specific needs of grandmothers in Africa who are raising their grandchildren after their own children have died of AIDS.   The local group works with the Stephen Lewis Foundation to fund a variety of grassroots programs.

In the 30 years since the first AIDS diagnosis more than 25 million people have died from the disease.  In fact, worldwide, AIDS is the leading cause of death for women in the 25 to 34 year age group.    The good news is that retroviral drugs are now available to a much larger population but the underlying problems and the immediate needs must still be addressed.

In Canada, B.C. is the only province to adopt an HIV strategy that works on the basis of ‘treatment is prevention’ and is a model backed by the World Health Organization.  B.C.s Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS introduced the strategy in 2006.   It consists of widespread HIV testing and the immediate offer of highly active antiretroviral therapy to those who test positive.   This treatment has been shown to virtually eliminate progression of the disease to AIDS and reduces the transmission of the virus by 96%.   Dr. Julio Montaner, a leader in the use of this treatment model expresses frustration that it has not been adopted as a national priority.

Using an aggressive ‘seek and treat’ approach,  the rate of positive HIV tests among adults in B.C. has steadily declined since 1995.   The rate then was 18 cases per 100,000.   By 2011 it had dropped to 7.6.   Meanwhile, Saskatchewan’s rates soared from 2.8 per 100,000 in 1995 to  19.6 by 2011.   The contrasting rates of infection in these two provinces translate into huge differences in hospital costs,  keeping people in the work force and other social costs.

Grandmothers for Africa advocate nationally for adoption of effective AIDS strategies while continuing to raise funds to provide the immediate help courageous African grandmothers need in order to maintain their families and raise a healthy new generation.   If you are interested in joining the local group, we welcome new members at our meetings held the first Thursday of each month at the Oliver United Church.   Grandmothers and Grand “others” are all welcome!

Contributed – Thanks MB