Interior Health’s work to expand access to HIV testing and treatment in the region has led to significant increases in screening for the disease, a critical step in controlling and eventually ending the AIDS epidemic.
Since 2013, HIV testing in the region has increased by 50 per cent with HIV testing rates now exceeding 3,500 tests per 100,000 people.
The results come as Interior Health marks World AIDS Day on December 1 and the one year anniversary of the My Heath is Sexy campaign, which aims to promote HIV testing and reduce stigma.
“I am very proud of the work we have done to increase the number of people getting tested for HIV in our region. Improved access to testing has played an important role in this increase but so have other factors such as increasing awareness of the advances in treatment and reducing the stigma that has long been associated with HIV,” said Maja Karlsson, STOP HIV Program Implementation Leader.
“We have worked hard to spread the message that everyone should be tested and that living a long healthy life with HIV is the new reality for those who are diagnosed early.”
Interior Health has launched several initiatives under the provincial Seek and Treat for Optimal Prevention of HIV/AIDS (STOP HIV/AIDS) program. These initiatives include:
A Health Outreach Nurse team that provides HIV testing, care, treatment, and education throughout the region.
A specialized integrated medical team of physicians and nurse practitioners with advanced HIV training to provide clinical expertise to the STOP HIV program and direct care to patients living with HIV across the region.