Seek and Treat ResearchDOWNLOAD: Expanding Access to HAART: A Cost-Effective Approach for Testing and Preventing HIV (PDF)
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The Seek and Treat pilot program is an initiative of the STOP HIV/AIDS Program (“Seek and Treat for Optimal Prevention of HIV/AIDS). Conceived at the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Seek and Treat will expand access to HIV/AIDS medications among hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side and Prince George.
On February 4, 2010, the B.C. provincial government committed $48 million to this four-year project, which is currently being implemented by Northern Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, and Providence Health Care with support from the Provincial Health Services Authority. By providing life saving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to more medically eligible individuals living with HIV, the virus’ ability spread will be significantly reduced.
For British Columbians who know they have HIV/AIDS and are connected to the health-care system, accessing HAART is relatively straightforward and can have extremely positive outcomes. However, there is a large segment of the at-risk population who are not connected to the health system, and Seek and Treat aims to go out, diagnose, support and provide treatment to these individuals.
Mathematical modeling suggests that implementing this pilot project in the Downtown East Side and Prince George could avert as many as 173 HIV infections in the first five years, which represents approximately $65 million in avoided lifetime HIV treatment costs.
