B.C. AIDS expert says Canada must commit to ending worldwide epidemic

VANCOUVER – A prominent AIDS expert in B.C. has called on the Canadian government to sign a commitment to help end the epidemic of the disease.

The director of the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Dr. Julio Montaner, says he wants the prime minister, premiers and opposition leaders to sign the Washington, D.C., Declaration.

The document is the official declaration of the upcoming International AIDS Conference being held in Washington next week.

Organizers are seeking to end the epidemic through a nine-point plan, including access to antiretroviral treatment and ending discrimination and stigmas related to AIDS.

In an open letter to Canada’s political leaders, Montaner writes the knowledge and tools to defeat the epidemic now exist and he says the ability to defeat the virus lies with the government.

The conference will bring together 25,000 delegates, including AIDS experts and global leaders.