Media Release-3rd National Day of Action for Refugee Care in Canada

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The AIDS Committee of Ottawa fully supports the 3^rd National Day of Action for Refugee Care in Canada

June 16^th, 2014, Ottawa, ON

On April 25^th, 2012, the federal government announced massive changes to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), which provides health insurance for refugees in Canada. Immediately after the decision was announced, doctors for refugee care and health/social workers joined together in solidarity to protest the cuts, which would leave an already vulnerable and marginalized population without access to essential health care. Following mounting public pressure from various community groups and allies, government-assisted refugees were exempted from the cuts. For all other refugees, the cuts came into effect on June 30^th, 2012.

The aforementioned cuts deny refugees equitable access to essential health care, such as dental and vision care and medications, to mention a few. These cuts are a barrier in the work that the AIDS Committee of Ottawa does in providing education/awareness, support and outreach to refugees living with and at risk of HIV/AIDS in Ottawa and across the country.

A third National Day of Action will take place in Ottawa on June 16^th at noon on Parliament Hill. Please join the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, its community members, partners and allies as we rally together to protest the cuts and stand in solidarity as we advocate for equitable access to essential health care for refugees in Canada.

The AIDS Committee of Ottawa encourages you to share your concerns over the cuts to refugee health care with your local MP. Contact information for all MPs can be found at:

http://www.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E

For more information about the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, please visit us at www.aco-cso.ca

For media inquiries, please contact:

Khaled Salam, Executive Director, (613) 238-5014 ext. 234 or ed@aco-cso.ca