In November 2007, Renewing Our Response to HIV/AIDS (ROR) meet with government stakeholders to look at funding five HIV/AIDS proposals. The First Nations Health Council assisted in bringing together these stakeholders to evaluate what resources and services were being provided in Aboriginal HIV/AIDS.
As a result, an inventory of Aboriginal HIV/AIDS services and programs is currently being developed. In early May, FNHC coordinated a meeting with ROR members and government stakeholders where HIV/AIDS goals and funding priorities were set. A meeting report has been finalized for release.
Unifying and Strengthening the Response to Hiv and Aids in Aboriginal Communities in BC
After the meeting in May, FNHC, Provincial Health Service Authority, Public Health Agency Canada and The Renewing our Response Team will partner in the development of Provincial Coordination Office. The goal of this initiative is to strategically unify and strengthen the response to HIV and AIDS in Aboriginal communities in B.C.
Objectives:
1. Support the planning, communication and roll-out of Renewing our Response Recommendations, including RoR Working Groups;
2. Build capacity of organizations, communities and leaders by providing training, education, research, and advocacy resources;
3. Providing timely access to current, reliable and appropriate data, research, information and knowledge related to HIV and AIDS among Aboriginal Communities in B.C. Maintain a centralized database of HIV and AIDS and blood-borne pathogen resources and activities. Perform Knowledge Translation to make this information useable by all stakeholders through training, workshops, and policy development;
4. Provide the necessary infrastructure and support so communities and organizations can effectively communicate, and can collaboratively plan, formulate, review, evaluate and support each other in their responses to HIV and AIDS.
Resources
Red Road HIV/AIDS Network
We are a collaborative network supporting Aboriginal HIV/AIDS service providers, Aboriginal persons with HIV/AIDS and individuals and families with culturally inclusive resources, information, advocacy, leadership and political education.
http://www.red-road.org/
Healing Our Spirit
The mandate of Healing Our Spirit is to prevent and reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS and provide care and support services to Aboriginal peoples infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
http://www.healingourspirit.org/home.htm