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Smith announces new funding for ACNBA

AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area News Release ********************** The AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area will now offer more support to women in Nipissing thanks to funding to enhance regional capacity, with a focus on women’s HIV prevention



AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area
News Release

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The AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area will now offer more support to women in Nipissing thanks to funding to enhance regional capacity, with a focus on women’s HIV prevention. The AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area received $21,300 for 2009/10 and $42,500 in annualized funding commencing 2010/11 for the Women's HIV Initiative.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care is investing $1.68 million in new funding for targeted programming to address the growing number of women in Ontario who are at risk of acquiring HIV, and for local AIDS service organizations to build their capacity to address the epidemic.

Of the $1.68 million in new funding, almost $1M will fund 15 AIDS service organizations to work with local health care and social services that women utilize to support local community HIV/AIDS initiatives for women. AIDS service organizations will who will work with agencies that provide services to women to increase their capacity to provide HIV/AIDS prevention services.

The Honourable Monique Smith, MPP for Nipissing joined Stacey Mayhall of the AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area to welcome the new Women and HIV/AIDS Development Community Prevention Initiative Coordinator, Kathleen Jodouin.

“I am pleased that the AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area has taken a leadership role in providing a much needed service to women in our area,” said Monique Smith, MPP for Nipissing. “The Women’s HIV Initiative is a very important tool in HIV/AIDS prevention.”

“The AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area recognizes the need for HIV services specifically developed to target women. Women who are infected with HIV encounter a number of unique challenges, they are often highly stigmatized when it comes to HIV infection and are less willing to access education around their risk factors. With new funding for Women and HIV in this and 14 other agencies across Ontario, the province has demonstrated commitment and leadership with regard to these issues. We welcome Kathleen Jodouin as she begins her work as our new Women and HIV Coordinator,” said Stacey Mayhall Executive Director of the AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area.

QUICK FACTS

The Miinistry of Health and Long-Tern Care will spend almost $60 million in 2009/10 for HIV/AIDS related programs.

It is estimated that about 35% of Ontarians who are HIV positive do not know their HIV status. Ontario’s response to the significant number of people who are undiagnosed has been to develop targeted prevention campaigns in high risk communities and promote HIV testing through the development of an HIV testing campaign directed at high-risk populations.

The AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area is one of 15 agencies that received new funding under the Women's HIV Initiative announced by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care on December 1, 2009.

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