We are going to win this fight in B.C.

published on July 19, 2012 in The Province

B.C. is at the forefront of the fight to eliminate HIV worldwide, says B.C.'s standard-bearer.

"Make no mistake, we are going to win this fight and we are going to win this fight here in British Columbia." Dr. Julio Montaner, director of the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/ AIDS, said Wednesday.

A new campaign by Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care aims to normalize HIV testing by making it part of regular health care, so that any person who's ever been sexually active will get tested.

"We need to overcome the single most important obstacle - we need to ensure that people take the test," Montaner said.

The aim of the "Change HIVsto-ry" campaign is to promote testing, which, in turn, leads to treatment, and ultimately leads to prevention.

Infection and transmission rates have dropped across Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and among injection drug users because of testing and the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) drug cocktail.

According to Montaner, 46 per cent of new infections are transmitted by people unaware they're infected.

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Our work serves clients and communities across British Columbia on lands and waters cared for and nurtured by the many distinct First Nations across the province. The BC-CfE humbly and gratefully acknowledge the stewards of these lands, particularly the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) on whose unceded, traditional and ancestral territories our offices are located.

© Copyright BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
St. Paul's Hospital 608–1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-8477 | Fax: 604-806-9044
General inquiries: info@bccfe.ca
Media inquiries: communications@bccfe.ca
(Please do not use any of these email addresses to send personal information or book an appointment. To book appointments or contact the H2H clinic, please call 604-416-1517 or fax: 604-564-4893. Do not send your or your client's personal information via email.)

© Copyright BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
St. Paul's Hospital 608–1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-8477 | Fax: 604-806-9044
General inquiries: info@bccfe.ca
Media inquiries: communications@bccfe.ca
(Please do not use any of these email addresses to send personal information or book an appointment. To book appointments or contact the H2H clinic, please call 604-416-1517 or fax: 604-564-4893. Do not send your or your client's personal information via email.)

Our work serves clients and communities across British Columbia on lands and waters cared for and nurtured by the many distinct First Nations across the province. The BC-CfE humbly and gratefully acknowledge the stewards of these lands, particularly the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) on whose unceded, traditional and ancestral territories our offices are located.