Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week focusing on problems and solutions – Global

CALGARY – Aboriginal AIDS Awareness week officially launched on Tuesday, and across the country leaders are discussing community-based approaches to deal with the disease.

In Canada, infection rates are more than three-and-a-half times higher in First Nations, Metis and Inuit people than in the rest of the population.

“HIV is more profound in aboriginal communities, so it’s obviously an alarming, high rate,” said Kerrigan Johnson, who learned she was HIV-positive 10 years ago.

Rodney Little Mustache spoke about his struggles with HIV at the launch event in Calgary.

“In June of 1984 I found out I was HIV-positive,” Little Mustache told the crowd.

 

 

Read More: http://globalnews.ca/news/2373783/aboriginal-aids-awareness-week-focusing-on-problems-and-solutions/