A long list of questions and concerns came up during the Listening Campaign along the lines of; six times higher rate of HIV infection in people of African descent than the national average, English Language illiteracy impacts communication between people of African descent and their Health Care Practitioner, few HIV research carried out in communities of African descent, improper pre and post HIV test counselling, test carried out without the consent of patient, ineffective community engagement in HIV awareness campaigns, religious and cultural beliefs prevent people from pursuing treatment, and stigmatization.
These are some of the concerns, coupled with stories and experiences, at times surprising and at times embarrassing at the Listening Campaign. A lot came up from the over 50 community leaders at the Listening Campaign on February 24, 2018, that took place at the Diversity Centre for Africans, Caribbean, and Blacks, to share stories, experiences, and comments to contribute to community research and policy changes on HIV.
Organised by Ribbon Rouge in partnership with Alberta Health Services, University of Alberta, and University of Calgary, other organizations during some good work on HIV in the Province of Alberta also made their presence felt with brief presentations about their works and their organizations.
The coalition collected the priority topics that will be used to craft a funding proposal and move to the next steps.
