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Welcome to HIV101.ca

HIV101.ca is your source for information about HIV and AIDS testing, treatment and support in northern British Columbia.

We know that HIV/AIDS is a difficult subject for many people to talk about. We know that stigma still surrounds this disease. But we’d like to break down barriers and talk openly about HIV and AIDS.

HIV can affect anyone — no matter what your gender, age, race or sexual orientation. The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS estimates that 25 per cent of people who are HIV-positive don’t even know they have the virus. These same people are believed to be responsible for 75 per cent of new infections.

That’s why it’s important for anyone who may have been exposed to HIV to get tested. That includes anyone who uses injection drugs or anyone who is sexually active from the ages of 13 to 65 — and beyond. Early testing is key to stopping the spread of HIV. The virus can live in your body for years. But somebody with HIV may not show symptoms until late in the disease process. And if HIV is left untreated, it can lead to AIDS.

If you take an HIV test and find out that you have the virus, there are treatments available to help you manage the disease. As a result, people with HIV are now living longer, healthier lives. HIV is a chronic, manageable disease — not a death sentence.

So browse through our website and find out everything you need to know about HIV and AIDS. Discover where to get an HIV test in your community; what treatment options are available for people diagnosed with HIV; and how to find necessary support services.

 

Help us spread the word about HIV…not the disease.

 

Studies from BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS highlight inequalities in HIV care for women 

Two new studies from the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS show that some HIV-positive women face barriers to accessing HIV treatment and care which, if addressed, could result in reduced HIV-related illness, mortality and HIV transmission. The first study involved 3,875 participants who began a regimen of antiretroviral therapy in British Columbia from 2000-2010. The second study involved 231 women.

For details about the studies, visit BC Centre for Excellence—Inequalities in HIV care for women.

 

 Northern Health hosts all-day workshop on Routine HIV Testing in Acute Care Facilities 

HIV testing workshop-panelA workshop hosted by Northern Health's Blood Borne Pathogens team on March 28, 2013, attracted a range of health care providers to the Coast Inn of the North in Prince George to see presentations focusing on the need for routine HIV testing in acute care facilities.   

Keynote speakers included Dr. Réka Gustafson, a Medical Health Officer and Medical Director of Communicable Disease Control in Vancouver; Afshan Nathoo, RN, the clinical lead for the Acute Care Routine HIV Testing Strategy with Providence Health Care and Vancouver Coastal Health; and Dr. Abu Hamour, Infectious Diseases Specialist, based in Prince George. 

The workshop also featured several presentations by Northern Health's community partners, and a panel discussion featuring three persons living with HIV (see photo): Tammy Leiterman (left), Allan Mousseau (centre) and Darren Lauscher (right). Lauscher is the Co-Chair of the Pacific AIDS Network, based in Vancouver.

 

 

 

HIV101.ca is sponsored by the STOP HIV/AIDS pilot project which is funded by the Government of British Columbia supporting Northern Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, the Provincial Health Services Authority, Providence Health Care, and the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. The STOP HIV/AIDS project aims to expand HIV testing, treatment, and support in British Columbia.
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