Backgrounder

What is HIV/AIDS?

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV attacks the immune system, resulting in a chronic, progressive illness and leaving infected people vulnerable to opportunistic infections and cancers. The median time from infection to AIDS diagnosis now exceeds 10 years. AIDS is fatal.

HIV is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse, needle-sharing, from an infected mother to an infant during pregnancy, delivery and through breast feeding, and occasionally through occupational exposure in the health care setting.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is actually several epidemics, occurring in specific populations. Although these epidemics spread at different rates, the social factors and conditions which lead to the spread are similar. The virus itself changes quickly, mutating, creating new strains which present challenges in detection, prevention and treatment. No cure or vaccine exists. New treatments are very costly and it is too soon to measure their full effect.

HIV/AIDS is a Major Public Health Issue

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, as of July 1996, there were 21.8 million people living with HIV/AIDS, 94% of whom were in the developing world. By the year 2000, there will be 30 to 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS. More than six million have already died.

By the end of 1996, an estimated 50,000 to 54,000 Canadians had been infected since the first case was recorded here in 1982. Of those infected, over 18,000 have developed AIDS, and 12,000 have died. During 1996, new infections occurred at a rate of approximately 11 per day, or 3,000 to 5,000 per year. Countless others, including family, friends, loved ones and caregivers, are affected by HIV/AIDS.

The Changing Face of HIV/AIDS

From the early 1980s to the early 1990s, HIV infections were concentrated in two population groups: men who have sex with men and people infected with HIV through the blood supply. Although there has been some success in reducing the incidence of HIV among gay men and the blood system has been made as safe as possible, new HIV infections have increased rapidly in other population groups since 1993.

Increasingly, HIV is infecting vulnerable segments of our population, especially those who are marginalized by socio-economic factors, those who use intravenous drugs, women living in poverty, many Aboriginal communities, prison inmates and young gay men. Approximately half of the 8 to 14 new HIV infections occurring every day in Canada are among injection drug users. Current challenges in curbing these epidemics are tied to poverty and lack of access to appropriate health and social services among the marginalized groups in society.

HIV/AIDS is also a growing problem for youth in Canada. The median age of those becoming infected has dropped dramatically from 32 years in 1982-83 to 23 years in 1986-1990, and many young Canadians are becoming infected in their teens.

What Has Been Done In Canada So Far?

Canada recorded its first case of AIDS in 1982. Health Canada initially supported a variety of research, surveillance and community development activities, and then launched the National AIDS Strategy in 1990. There have been two phases of the National AIDS Strategy undertaken by the federal government to date, with the later one, Phase II, ending on March 31, 1998. Phase II provided a total of $211 million over five years, or $42.2 million per year. These amounts for domestic programs did not include other federal government expenditures such as $17 million in 1996-97 for international programs funded by the Canadian International Development Agency.

The National AIDS Strategy provided a vehicle and a framework for federal leadership on this new and complex challenge to the health of Canadians and enabled a wide spectrum of activities and initiatives to be undertaken. There is general consensus that the benefits of the investment in the National AIDS Strategy far outweighed the financial outlay. Stakeholders agree that the National AIDS Strategy played a central role, not only in saving thousands of lives and billions of dollars in long-term costs to the economy, but also in ensuring that the situation did not become many times worse than it is today.

For more information:

HIV/AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs Division
Strategies and Systems for Health Directorate
Health Promotion and Programs Branch
Health Canada
(613) 952-5258