AIDS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY

Drugs are far from the only health emergency in the Downtown Eastside.
The local AIDS prevalence rate here is higher than in some African
countries.

A May 2003 Human Rights Watch report called Vancouver "home to what is
arguably the worst AIDS epidemic in the developed world."

In 1997, a University of B.C. epidemiologist estimated drug users were
being infected with HIV at a rate of 20 per cent per year. In 2001,
the HIV-related death rate in the Downtown Eastside was 38 times that
of B.C. overall.

Less-deadly diseases are also prevalent. It's estimated more than 90
per cent of users in the area have hepatitis C.

The new infection rate has since fallen to three per cent, but
prevalence of the disease remains high.

Even with needle exchanges, the potential for transmission is
daunting.

The Downtown Eastside is home to an estimated 5,000 injection drug
users, according to a B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS report.

As a result, users in the area have an HIV prevalence rate estimated
at 30 to 40 per cent.

In the developing world, countries such as South Africa have a
prevalence rate of 19 per cent, according to UNICEF.