World AIDS Vaccine Day - May 18, 2013

World AIDS Vaccine Day provides an opportunity to reinforce the Government of Canada's commitment to addressing HIV/AIDS, which currently affects 34 million people around the globe. 

These statistics underline the importance of advancing the development of an HIV vaccine. The Government of Canada is committed to a comprehensive, long-term approach to tackling HIV/AIDS. Through the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (CHVI) and the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada, the Government's combined investment is over $93 million in 2013-14 alone.  This investment aims to advance the development of an HIV vaccine, further HIV/AIDS research and prevention activities, and facilitate access to diagnosis, care, treatment and support for affected Canadians. 

The Government of Canada believes in working together with stakeholders to address HIV/AIDS. The CHVI brings together five government departments and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance progress on HIV vaccine research and development efforts. Since 2007, the CHVI has achieved several key successes. They have been supporting Canada-Africa research teams to build capacity for HIV prevention trials, as well as collaborating with Canadian and low- and middle-income country researchers through the development of integrated research programs. CHVI helps build regulatory capacity in low and middle-income countries, provides laboratory support in South Africa, and collaborates with the Canadian private sector to advance the development of an HIV vaccine and other technologies related to the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of HIV. The Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative is also engaged in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

In addition, the establishment of the CHVI Research and Development Alliance Coordinating Office at the International Centre of Infectious Diseases in Winnipeg in 2011 has made them instrumental in facilitating information exchange, collaboration and coordination across diverse national and international research efforts.

Although the development of a safe and effective HIV vaccine has many scientific challenges to overcome, the Government of Canada remains committed to efforts that support the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.  On World AIDS Vaccine Day, I invite all Canadians to join me in acknowledging the important work of our CHVI Research and Development Alliance members, researchers, stakeholders and all of Canada's global partners in their continued efforts to fight HIV/AIDS.

For more information on the CHVI, please visit  Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative.

Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health
Government of Canada