Author: Mark Mascolini
08 February 2010
British Columbia launched a 4-year, $48-million pilot program to find and treat hard-to-reach people with undiagnosed HIV infection, the Globe and Mail reports.
The Seek and Treat initiative aims to avert further spread of HIV by controlling the virus in underserved populations including aboriginals, drug users, and sex workers.
Julio Montaner, President of the International AIDS Society and director of the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, is the prime mover behind Seek and Treat. Research in the province and elsewhere suggests that finding and treating more people with HIV infection will prevent onward transmission of the virus and end up saving money by cutting the number of newly infected people.
“This effort is about outreach and support, over and above throwing pills to people,” Montaner told the Globe and Mail.
Health officials estimate that more than 12,000 British Columbians have HIV infection but that 27% go undiagnosed. Every year since 1999, the province has seen between 350 and 440 new HIV infections.
Seek and Treat planners figure the program will prevent as many as 173 new HIV infections over 5 years and save $65 million by avoiding HIV care costs.
Aboriginal people make up about 5% of British Columbia’s population but account for up to 17% of new HIV infections yearly.
Source: Wendy Stueck. B.C.'s street-smart strategy to treat HIV—no matter who has it. Globe and Mail. 5 February 2010.
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