Vancouver HIV crisis offers lessons

VANCOUVER This city's skidrow HIV epidemic could provide lessons to help
quell urban outbreaks elsewhere in Canada, says a healthboard official.

But John Tegenfeldt warns Ottawa will miss out on the education if it
doesn't pay more attention to HIV rates in Vancouver's downtown eastside
that have been called the highest in the developed world.

"If (federal Health Minister Allan Rock) doesn't learn from this, it will
get replicated," Tegenfeldt, chief executive officer of the Vancouver
Richmond health board, said Friday.

"It will become a national concern rather than just a provincial concern."

Tegenfeldt was referring to the spread of HIV among intravenous drug users,
who have switched from heroin to cocaine a drug thought to impair their
ability to protect themselves from infected needles.

Infected needles are one route of infection of human immunodeficiency
virus, which causes AIDS a breakdown of the body's immune system that
leaves victims vulnerable to other infections.

"The spread of the virus because of cocaine addiction is going to get
repeated across the country I don't have any doubt about that at all,"
said Tegenfeldt.

In Vancouver, the situation is focused on an area referred to as Canada's
poorest postal code a community of about 12,000 people sandwiched between
touristy Gastown and one of the largest Chinatown districts in North America.

British Columbia officials, including Health Minister Joy MacPhail, have
complained that Ottawa is ignoring a health crisis in the heart of Canada's
thirdlargest city.

Studies have suggested up to half the 6,000 to 10,000 injectiondrug users
in the downtown eastside could be infected with HIV.

"Ottawa never pays attention to B.C.," said Deb Mearns, president of
Vancouver Native Health Services, based in the eastside.

"I absolutely believe that if this was downtown Toronto or Montreal, they
would be here in a heartbeat."

On Friday, representatives of Rock's office met with officials in the
office of Mayor Philip Owen to share information on the issue.

There was no decision on a followup meeting between Rock and Owen,
officials said.

But a spokesman for Rock said the minister's office would be looking for a
meeting with the province. He provided no further details.

On Thursday, the health board endorsed a $4.65million program to quell the
epidemic that includes the hiring of 42 more community nurses, street
workers and counsellors. The board is also recommending onthespot HIV tests.

"It's really a first step," said Tegenfeldt, adding the program will, at
best, blunt HIV's spread in the east side.

Phase two is set for the board's Nov. 27 meeting. Officials are expected to
discuss tactics to deal with the poverty that afflicts the eastside, said
Tegenfeldt.

The B.C. government had provided about $3 million for the crisis. The board
topped up those funds with an additional $1.65 million of its own money.

Some B.C. observers have called for more federal money, decriminalization
of drugs or at least a visit by Rock to show he cares.

In December, the board will discuss proposals to decriminalize street
drugs.