Canada committee calls for increased AIDS funding

Canada's House of Commons health committee on Thursday unanimously called for increased funding for HIV prevention and treatment programs in the country. Funding for Canadian HIV/AIDS programs has held steady at about $42.4 million (Canadian) for the past decade. Only $3.9 million of that amount went to HIV prevention efforts. "We're seeing a disproportionate amount going to treatment. Let's see what we can do to prevent more individuals from being infected," said Rob Merrifield, a member of the committee. The committee also recommended that more funding be given to prevention programs for heterosexuals and injection-drug users, which now account for the majority of the 4,000 new HIV infections reported each year in Canada.