Funding for projects to fight HIV

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Aboriginal groups working on preventing the spread of HIV received an unexpected Christmas gift this month.

The Aboriginal Health Strategy Fund, a new incentive by Alberta Health, has released $30,000 in special project grants for programs dealing with the prevention of HIV in Aboriginal communities, and the care with HIV. The grants are intended to fund small, community-based projects.

"The people who need to work at the community level are the people who best understand what sorts of projects would be effective," said John MCDunna, manger of the strategy fund.

They received the funds through the provincial Medical Services Branch. Community programs initiated under a similar grant two years ago included contracting and AIDS counsellor for two-week periods three times a year producing a play on AIDS, and holding a two-day conference on issues surrounding HIV.

"The grants are not intended for setting up structures, rather to spark activities in communities around the prevention of HIV and the care and support of persons with HIV," said Neil MacDonald, acting manager of the Alberta Health HIV/AIDS program. "We're very excited that these grants are available."

The provincial program is administering the distribution of the special project monies.

Successful proposals will be able to access up to approximately $1,500 per project. MacDonald declined comment on how much money has been made available through the province to similar programs non-specific to Aboriginals. The comparison would be unfair as Aboriginal groups could access them as well, he said.

The bottom line is that the funds are there at all, said a spokesperson with Alberta's Aboriginal AIDS/HIV prevention organization.

"Certainly we're pleased that these funds have been made available," said David Desjardens, director of Feather and Hope.

"The needs are growing by the day. This disease is not going away and we're concerned with the high risk our youths are facing. We hope these small amounts of money can provide a bit of safety net for the youth."

Feather of Hope is encouraging communities to access the pockets of money that become available, to the point of sitting with interested groups and helping them outline grant proposals.

One such program is being carried through by the Metis Nation which is adapting the Feather of Hope's training manual for educators to a Metis focus. While there are no statistics available through the provincial AIDS health offices on any ethnic group, Feather of Hope staff have spoken in person with an alarming number of Natives diagnosed with the fatal syndrome.

"We know we have physically talked to at least 50 people in the province who have AIDS," Desjarden said.

And an associate professor at the University of Alberta, involved with the Alberta Health AIDS/HIV program, believes the numbers are growing.

According to the latest data, 71 Aboriginals in northern Alberta alone are HIV infected, said Dr. John Houston.

"The trends that we are seeing are pretty solid evidence that the education programs are not sufficiently funded," Houston said.

There is a disproportionate number of Aboriginals in the north contracting HIV, he said. But people do not contract the infection through their ethnic background, Houston was quick to add.

"Fundamentally it relates to the disadvantaged position that the Aboriginal people experience in Canadian society," he said.

Depressed social and economic conditions contribute more to high risk lifestyles, such as the inner-city environment where injection drug use is on the rise. And with it, the spread of HIV.

The issues of funding is not black and white. All programs need to be better funded.