Nipissing – Timiskaming MP, Jay Aspin visited AIDS Committee of North Bay & Area (ACNBA) offices today to announce funding for a new project being implemented through the agency.
“Through HIV prevention and outreach campaigns, this project will ensure residents of North Bay and its surrounding area have access to the information and resources they need to make informed decisions about their health,” said Aspin. “Our government commends ACNBA for their continued dedication to addressing HIV/AIDS at the community level and particularly among high-risk populations.”
The funding – of just over $166 thousand – will be phased in over two years and be used to further regional outreach and education strategies.
HIV Regional Outreach & Education Coordinator, Dennis Chippa, says it’s coincidental that a story in the Toronto Star regarding an HIV positive woman hiding in rural Ontario due to the stigma associated with the disease would appear on the day the funding for providing HIV education and outreach was made.
“One of the unique focuses of this project is addressing literacy needs. We’ll be going through our educational material and working on making it more user-friendly,” explained Chippa.
The funding is part of more than $72 million that the Government of Canada is currently investing through the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada.
