With more than 600 cases of monkeypox in the country, more than half of them in Quebec, the federal government is offering a few hundred thousand dollars to community organizations that promise to fight the stigma associated with the disease.
“It is important to remember that anyone, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and ethnic identity, can become infected and transmit monkeypox if they come into close contact with a person suffering from this disease, ”said Minister Steven Guilbeault, elected in the Montreal riding of Laurier–Sainte-Marie, on Thursday.
Mr. Guilbeault represented his colleague Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, to announce the distribution of $ 350,000 in federal funds to organizations responsible for providing “up-to-date information” on the epidemic. His speech was briefly interrupted by an environmental activist who accused him of a “climate crime” for recently approving the Bay du Nord oil project.
Demystify the virus
REZO in Montreal will receive the largest share of the announced amount, $150,000, with the rest split evenly between organizations in Toronto and Ottawa. These funds are drawn from the previously announced $1 million HIV and Hepatitis C Community Action Fund.
REZO’s general manager, Alexandre Dumont Blais, praised the “very strong response” of the gay community in Montreal to the epidemic, in particular the success of the vaccination campaign, which would take place smoothly. His organization demystifies the virus and the disease, gives advice on the risk of exposure and disseminates information on the vaccine.
“In relation to stigma, when we say in the media that one community is affected more than another, we had fears,” he says.
As of Wednesday, the federal government has identified 604 confirmed cases of monkeypox, including 320 in Quebec and 230 in Ontario. The Public Health Agency of Canada provides daily monitoring of the evolution of the number of cases.