The provision of health care: problems and needs. The Canadian public health response: an overview

The Canadian public health system's response to the HIV infection/AIDS epidemic was characterized by a lack of appreciation of the impact that the disease was to have. Community groups in three major urban areas (Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal) were the first to develop support, educational, and public information initiatives. Since 1987, all provincial/territorial governments, the federal government, and national nongovernmental organizations have developed extensive programs and services yet there is a recognition, amplified in every major Canadian study that much more needs to be done to combat the spread of HIV infection. Sustained commitment is essential.