World AIDS Day finds Ontario’s health advocates pushing for the government to ensure that residents have free access to HIV prevention medications in the face of alarming data revealing the rate of HIV diagnosis among the Canadian population has gone up.
Statistics Canada reported 2,434 new HIV diagnoses in 2023. This marked a 35 percent increase compared to the previous year, after the Public Health Agency of Canada revealed a 22 percent increase between 2021 and 2022. In fact, worldwide, there is a reversal of this trend, and the nation is said to be going against this due to low public awareness and access to care.
The executive director at HQ Toronto, Dr. Kevin Woodward, pointed out that once HIV was a front-page issue in public health issues; however, it no longer is. He cited how many people are diagnosed every year with HIV as the reason for awareness building and ease of access to preventatives.
The other factor is the use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, which is a daily medication that has been proven to reduce the risk of HIV transmission significantly if taken consistently. However, uptake of these medications in Ontario remains low. The high cost of PrEP, around $250 per month without insurance or provincial assistance, has been identified as a significant barrier. For someone new, or for those without access to stable care, navigating the complexity of health care programs can be difficult.
Hannah Jensen, press secretary for Health Minister Sylvia Jones, noted the Ontario Drug Benefit Program covers PrEP, reaching nearly half of the province’s population. NDP MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam has advocated for adding PrEP to the list of drugs covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, thereby making these life-saving medications available to all Ontarians for free. Wong-Tam introduced a motion in June to that effect, citing the fact that upfront costs would greatly be less expensive than long-term treatment programs.
Advocates, including Ian McKnight of the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation, claim that certain populations are disadvantaged, particularly newcomers and people without homes. McKnight illustrated how issues like poverty, instability in their homes, and limited healthcare access exacerbate the HIV crisis.
As Canada grapples with rising HIV rates, advocates hope that expanding access to prevention drugs will be a critical step in reducing new infections and improving public health outcomes.
