An awareness campaign for HIV and AIDs testing in Northern Saskatchewan is now underway.
The campaign draws on a startling statistic: one out of every four people with HIV in Saskatchewan don’t know they have it.
Dr. James Irvine, Medical Health Officer for the three northern health authorities, wants to open up discussion and reduce stigma around HIV and AIDs. He says it’s something that can affect almost anyone – not just IV drug users. A big reason to get out the message, is that sexual transmission of HIV is so high.
Part of the push to for HIV awareness is to keep the illness from spreading to others by those who don’t know they have it.
Irvine says pregnant women in the north are now offered HIV screening, because it can be spread to babies.
The campaign’s theme – “it’s worth knowing” – states that by getting tested, people can not only stop HIV’s spread, but also get treatment.
HIV is a manageable illness that can be seen as a chronic disease, Irvine said, thanks to medical advances over the years.
“In the past, getting a diagnosis of HIV was very serious in terms of the life expectancy. However, that’s changed very significantly over the last years,” he said.
“People can live a significant length of time, healthfully, while on medication.”
Irvine points out you can’t treat a disease unless you know you have it.
“The more we can support people who may be at risk for HIV, the more we can provide them with access to good care and access for treatment, the better it is for all of our communities,” he said.
They’re also launching an app that busts myths when it comes to the condition, and gives information on where you can get tested and the treatments that are available. The “Health is Vital” app is available through iTunes or the Google Play Store.
The initiative has been launched by the Northern Healthy Communities Partnership. These efforts are part of a province-wide push to continue the downward trend of HIV and AIDs diagnoses in Saskatchewan.
Irvine says recently, northern Saskatchewan started seeing less new cases each year, but is trailing behind the rest of the province.