HIV co-ordinator hired by health region

“I’m just so happy to have Laurie, who brings great qualifications and experience with a variety of settings,” Berg said.

Along with experience in both rural and urban communities, she has worked extensively on the First Nations that fall in the health region boundaries.

Lukan said she is looking forward to working in the whole gamete of care, from prenatal to palliative.

She also said she has several goals for the position and even though she doesn’t start for a month, is already gathering ideas.

“We hope to accomplish increased testing and in the end decrease HIV and HIV transmission in this region,” Lukan said.

Before the co-ordinator was hired, the HIV strategy was something people worked on the side, said Berg. It means having a dedicated person that can liaise within the region and with the province and will make a significant difference to rolling out the strategy in the province.

There is still a lot of work ahead of them, Berg said.

“It’s a huge issue, it’s like trying to address world peace, but we have to go a little bit at a time and work together,” she said.

“I don’t think I’ve worked at any other strategy in my career where I’ve seen so many willing partners from different agencies working together.”

Positions on the HIV provincial leadership team based out of Saskatoon are also being filled.

Infectious disease specialist Dr. Stu Skinner and Dr. Kurt Williams are sharing the role of clinical director. The Medical Health officers on the team will be Dr. David Torr and Dr. Johnmark Opondo and Shannon Stone will work as the part-time pharmacist.

The Ministry of Health is in the process of hiring the program director and hopes to have that person in place by June.

ahill@panow.com

by Angela Hill

HIV co-ordinator hired by health region

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