There is a new wave of illness in the AIDS epidemic. In the words of Dr. Micheal O’Shaughnessy, past director, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, “The bad old days are back.”

There is a growing number of HIV+ people in BC, and indeed throughout North America, whose HIV+ status has progressed to AIDS. Closer to home, the need for AIDS care in the Vancouver community is yet again critical. Today at St. Paul’s Hospital, there are as many AIDS in-patients as there were at the height of the crisis ten years ago. These numbers are going to get worse over the next two years.

Two groups are increasingly progressing to AIDS: those who can no longer tolerate the anti-retro viral drugs; and street-drug users who weren’t candidates for anti-retro viral drugs. All are now very sick. The impact on the health-care system will continue to be enormous. Today, the Dr. Peter Centre is preparing to meet this growing need. The New Dr. Peter Centre »