Living with HIV in 2020

In December of 2019, a report stated that over 68,000 Canadians are living with HIV. There are 14% among them who are unaware of their HIV status. This means that Canada has a fourth consecutive year in wherein cases have increased. 

The Canadian Government has explicitly mentioned its support for the UNAIDS targets. But that hasn’t stopped them from implementing funding cuts to community-based HIV organizations. That means that their long-term strategizing has been hampered, only because they didn’t heed to the government’s warning.

Places like these are in constant danger without the funding. There has to accessible treatment so as to control the spread of the virus. Like in the US, the rate of people living with HIV is on a decline because of increased testing and access to good treatment. The survival rate for HIV+ people has also shown a dramatic increase worldwide since the days of the HIV epidemic.

Even though there are many steps in the right direction, and strives to make the treatments more accessible and cheaper, it is almost impossible without fighting the stigma. Here, at Southern Time Productions, we are aiming to start a fund for people living with HIV. Help people from Canada first and then people around the world. In fact, to bring our dreams to fruition, we have started campaigns and we are working on a ground level to help people living with HIV.

The issue is understandably nearer to our hearts as two of the members of our Band are also living with HIV. But they have fought their battles and have come out on the winning side. With this motivation to change our lives, our team is trying their best to change things around us. We have taken our first steps by releasing our first album from Southern Time Band called “Lost in Love No More” which is filled with stories about the problems that are faced by the people living with HIV on a daily basis. Southern Time is dedicated to telling genuine stories about people who have inspired many of us by fighting their battles.

Southern Time Productions is making films about these stories. And we will soon be expanding to newer more important ventures. We want to change the world for the better with our art and our music. It is extremely important for us to reach the UNAIDS goal of no HIV cases by 2030. 

We have joined our hands and supported the initiative with our all and are passionately working towards funding more research and treatment accessibility. At Southern Times, we believe that everyone has a story to tell and we want to help them.

HIV treatments are evolving tremendously, and will soon be able to prevent the spread of HIV and treat all the people living with HIV so that they can lead happier and more fulfilled lives. 

And Southern Time Productions is leading the charge in making it all come true. UNAIDS goal is achievable if only everyone supports the initiative that we are working on.