HEALTH PROGRAM COULD HELP ADDICTS LIVE LONGER BY
ENCOURAGING THEM TO TAKE FREE MEDICATIONS

Two-thirds of the estimated 1,000 Downtown Eastsiders dying of AIDS are not
taking free, life-extending medicine.

Maxine Davis, executive director of the Dr. Peter Centre for low-income
people with HIV/AIDS, said most of those not using the medications are drug
addicts with little or no social support. In B.C., all anti-HIV medications
are distributed at no cost to HIV sufferers through the B.C. Centre for
Excellence in HIV/AIDS.

"AIDS medications are readily available. If someone goes to their health
care provider and they are an active drug user but want to get on the
medication there is no problem," Davis said.

Julio Montaner, acting director of the B.C. Centre for Excellence in
HIV/AIDS, said recent studies show the biggest contributor to a person's
ability to take HIV/AIDS medication is their level of "social capacity," a
measure of their ability to live and prosper in daily life, including their
social skills, ability to cope with problems and social support.

On the Downtown Eastside, where many of those infected with HIV are
addicted to drugs and mentally ill, many HIV sufferers don't have the
discipline or support to take antiretroviral medications to battle the virus.

Known as drug cocktails, the raft of medications must be taken on time,
each day, or their effectiveness is diminished.

"It's become increasingly evident more people in B.C. are getting AIDS and
most affected are those with limited personal support," Montaner said.

There are presently 14,000 people in B.C. with AIDS, and 8,000 live in
Vancouver. Of those in Vancouver, an estimated 1,600 are living in the
Downtown Eastside.

According to the B.C. Centre of Excellence in HIV/AIDS research, 1,000 of
those 1,600 need medication, but fewer than a third are taking the
medication. Other research shows that 50 per cent of those who died of AIDS
in Vancouver didn't adhere to their drug regimes.

Davis said she wants the Dr. Peter Centre's day health program copied and
picked up by other institutions in the city. The five-day-a-week program
offers nursing care, counselling, therapies, diet advice, food and access
to a supervised injection site on a drop-in basis for 250 people a day.

A recent study showed people attending the day health program improved
their quality of life and worked well with staff.

Davis is also encouraging the province to increase supported housing
options for drug addicted or mentally ill people living with HIV/AIDS.

Davis said some non-profit groups in the Downtown Eastside, like the PHS
Community Service Society, offer housing that includes social support and
help with staying on medications. She said more such housing is needed.