A series of posts this month looks at the contributions provided by teams and team members working across the province to achieve the goals of the STOP HIV/AIDS¨ program. Based on the concept of Treatment as Prevention¨, pioneered by BC-CfE Director Dr. Julio Montaner, the STOP HIV/AIDS¨ program has been implemented in BC with support from the provincial government.
Island Health launched the STOP HIV/AIDS¨ Program in April 2013 and it isfocused on three priority areasfor action:
¥ Prevention and harm reduction: including safer sex and safer injecting practices.
¥ HIV testing: reaching as many people as possible through testing, including key populations.
¥ Engaging and retaining people in treatment and care.
Island Health aims to reduce the spread of HIV through improved prevention services, to diagnose individuals as early as possible after they have been infected through broad-based and targeted testing, and to provide improved treatment and care services to help those who are HIV positive live long and healthy lives.
Island Health Outreach Worker Nancy Antoine said: “Meet people where they are at one day at a time, one person at a time, and one problem at a time. That is the key to successfully building a relationship within a community.”