By Jill Sperling

Picture of HIV changing in PA health region

Nov 30, 2015 | 5:22 AM

HIV isn’t the disease it used to be.

According to Dr. Khami Chokani, Medical Health Officer for the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region (PAPHR), HIV/AIDS is affecting a completely different group of people than what the stereotype has been.

“Right now it is heterosexual, which is very different,” said Chokani. “We don’t have, at least for us in P.A., we don’t have as many men who have sex with men who are HIV positive.”

Chokani said the disease is also affecting a wider range of ages, from teenagers to seniors.

 “While it has come down amongst the young adults, it’s starting to show up more in the older adults.”

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According to Chokani, the province continues to see a drop in numbers of new cases of HIV. He said there were 129 cases in 2013, dropping to 112 in 2014.

However, in the PAPHR alone, 34 new cases were confirmed over the past year.

Chokani said the numbers are still rising within the region, but not as fast as they have in the past.

There are also less cases of HIV turning into AIDS, and those that do are typically diagnosed very late.

Chokani said the PAPHR is joining with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS with their 90-90-90 target for the year 2020.

He explained the goal is to have 90 per cent of all people living with HIV to know their status, 90 per cent of those diagnosed to be on medication, and 90 per cent of those on medication to have no virus detectable.

For the health region, that means encouraging testing, and getting those diagnosed with HIV on medications right away.

“We’re not waiting until other tests are done,” said Chokani. “They’re being started, and we’re doing it locally, not only within P.A., but we’re doing it in Shellbrook, in Spiritwood, in Ahtahkakoop, in Big River, in Sturgeon Lake, all over.”

The PAPHR is also getting involved in World AIDS Day and National Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week events, which begin Dec. 1.

A World AIDS Day Walk will be held Dec. 1, beginning at City Hall at 11:30 a.m.

On Dec. 2 and Dec. 4, rapid HIV testing will take place at the Medi-Center Pharmacy.

jsperling@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jnsperling