COVID-19 Grants: Regional HIV/AIDS Connection
COVID-19 Grants: Regional HIV/AIDS Connection
Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC) is dedicated to positively impacting the lives of individuals and diverse communities living with, at-risk for, or affected by HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C (HCV). RHAC offers a comprehensive array of programming, counselling services and educational resources designed to erase stigma, support those affected by HIV/AIDS, and prevent its transmission.
Factors such as stress and precarious access to medication can make navigating the pandemic especially difficult for People Living With HIV/AIDS (PHAs), resulting in increased anxiety around risk of vulnerability to COVID-19.
“Without access to daily anti-retroviral therapy (ARVs), individuals living with HIV are more vulnerable to immune system deficiency. While ARVs are covered by ODSP, they’re very expensive and not always immediately available to those who need them,” says Holly Taylor, Manager of HIV/HCV Support Services. “Homelessness, gender-based violence, addictions and mental health can compromise access to ARVs, and with the additional stress of the pandemic, many in our community are left feeling extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.”
Thanks to grants from the LCF COVID-19 Response Fund and the Emergency Community Support Fund, RHAC has been able to sustain the food security and medical health and wellness needs of PHAs in our community. Their Country Cupboard program provides food, hygiene items, masks and other resources, while their Wellness Assistance Fund supports clients in accessing HIV medications, blood-work, medical records, prescriptions, PPE and hygiene items.
“Over 120 people have accessed Country Cupboard so far, some of whom shared they hadn’t eaten for days prior to receiving support,” says Holly. “Through our Wellness Assistance Program, we were able to help a PHA from Europe access his medication while stranded in Canada. The support we’ve been able to offer thanks to these grants has without question contributed to the quality of life for service recipients.”
Many of the issues affecting RHAC service users during the pandemic existed prior to the pandemic, and are issues that need to be addressed if our community is going to be one where everyone has the opportunity to be safe, happy, and healthy.
“The ongoing stigma surrounding HIV, queerness, sex work and drug use creates additional barriers to services offering access to food, addictions, mental and physical health supports, housing and other resources,” says Holly. “For individuals who do not have a home, it is next to impossible to adhere to public health recommendations regarding sanitary measures and physical distancing. Fortunately, we have yet to hear from a client that has become infected with COVID-19, which speaks both to the resilience of the community we serve, and the value of community support systems.”
As we rebuild and recover from the pandemic, it’s vital to the health of our community that we do not start and stop supporting those in need simply because of a public health emergency. Support should be ongoing, continuous, and unconditional, because addictions and homelessness will not disappear with the pandemic.
Regional HIV/AIDS Connection relies on donations from the community to continue serving their clients. If you’d like to support RHAC, please visit www.hivaidsconnection.ca or send an email to info@hivaidsconnection.ca for more information.