Supporting community responses to the outbreak of Monkeypox
Government of Canada supports MAX Ottawa to address monkeypox (MPOX) outbreak
This funding will support community prevention, education, awareness, and anti-stigma activities.
August 2, 2022 Ottawa, ON Public Health Agency of Canada
Since the outset of the monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak, the Government of Canada has been working with domestic and international partners to control the spread of Mpox. The Public Health Agency of Canada is working closely with provincial and territorial public health partners to ensure coordination of Canada’s response to the Mpox outbreak, and to keep people in Canada informed, healthy, and safe.
The Government of Canada has been working with stakeholders across the country—including community-based organizations in sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections and sexual health fields that offer services and support to gay and bisexual men—to understand their needs in response to the outbreak of Mpox.
Today, Jenna Sudds, Parliamentary Secretary for Women, Gender Equality and Youth announced $100,000 in funding to MAX Ottawa, a community-based organization focused on the health of gay and bisexual men. This funding is being provided through the HIV and Hepatitis C Community Action Fund to help those currently most impacted by the outbreak of Mpox. It will contribute to MAX Ottawa’s ability to respond to the expressed needs of their communities for prevention, education, awareness, and anti-stigma activities.
Regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and race, anyone can become infected with the Mpox virus if they have close contact with someone who is infected or through contact with contaminated objects. Understanding of the virus is still evolving and information will continue to be provided as it becomes available.
“With this funding, we are supporting MAX Ottawa here in Ottawa to reach populations at higher risk of infection by the Mpox outbreak. Timely and reliable information on prevention, symptoms, testing and treatment are vital to slowing the spread of Mpox.”
Jenna Sudds, Parliamentary Secretary for Women, Gender Equality and Youth
Quick Facts
Mpox is a viral disease that can spread from person-to-person through close contact including sexual contact, with an infected person’s skin, bodily fluids, mucosal surfaces (such as eyes, mouth, throat, genitalia, and perianal area), and through contact with contaminated objects, such as sex toys or shared personal items, such as clothing, linens, bedding, towels, toothbrushes, and utensils.
The HIV and Hepatitis C Community Action Fund supports community-based interventions across Canada to address HIV, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections.
MAX Ottawa is a member of the Advance Community Alliance, a pan-Canadian alliance of organizations addressing gay and bisexual men’s health.
