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Ottawa's Long-Awaited AIDS Funding Announcement Pledges $250M Over Two Years

Posted on: Friday, 1 December 2006, 15:01 CST

MONTREAL (CP) - Ottawa chose World AIDS Day to make a long-awaited announcement on how it plans to fund the global battle against the deadly disease, pledging $250 million to the World AIDS Fund on Friday.

"We want to build better health systems to ensure that as many Africans as possible have access to the health services they need," International Co-operation Minister Josee Verner said in unveiling the plan. Of the $250 million - to be delivered over two years - $50 million will go toward treatment programs throughout sub-Saharan Africa and $10 million to support Mozambique's national AIDS council, Verner said.

Montreal's McGill University will receive $2.5 million for research aimed at preventing parent-child transmission of the disease in Zimbabwe. Another $20 million will go to joint Canadian-African research initiatives.

"Canada will contribute $450 million over the next 10 years to support country-led efforts in Africa," Verner said.

Friday's announcement follows months of anxious waiting by researchers and activists, who had anticipated a major funding announcement during the International AIDS Conference in Toronto.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government were harshly criticized at the August conference after he refused an invitation to speak at the opening ceremony.

Health Minister Tony Clement had planned a news conference for near the beginning of the conference, but it was cancelled after the government said the event had become too politicized.

Source: Canadian Press

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