OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 1, 2024 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on World AIDS Day:

"Every day, an estimated five Canadians contract HIV. While breakthroughs in medical research now help people living with HIV live long and healthy lives, the stigma surrounding HIV remains. No Canadian should have to feel alone in this fight.

"To meet our 2025 targets for HIV testing and treatment, we are building culturally safe access to prevention, testing, treatment, and care for everyone in Canada, including those from 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous, and Afro-Caribbean communities. This year, we launched the Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections Action Plan 2024-2030 to help accelerate the end of HIV as a public health concern.

"Millions of people around the world still lack access to life-saving HIV treatment, but through our work with international partners, Canada is helping change that. Through our support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, hundreds of millions of people have been tested for HIV, and tens of millions have received antiretroviral treatment. Our work is far from over, but through valued partnerships with organizations such as UNAIDS, we can build on this progress and save millions of lives.

"On World AIDS Day, I invite Canadians to learn more about HIV and AIDS, to challenge the stigma, and to join the effort to end this epidemic. Together, we can build a healthier future for everyone."

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office