By Tyler Marr

PAPHR Access Place to host HIV Testing Day

Jun 26, 2017 | 5:26 PM

Prince Albert and area continues to have one of the highest rates of HIV infections in the province. 

To help break the stigma behind testing and encourage everyone to learn of their status, the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region (PAPHR) will be participating in Saskatchewan HIV Testing Day on Tuesday.

“Our initiative is to get everyone tested,” Steven Mah, manager at PAPHR Access Place said. “Part of this day is showing how someone can come in and get the test and raise awareness surrounding that.”

To start this, three prominent members of the community got tested Monday to show the ease and importance of knowing your HIV status.

Provincially, Saskatchewan has one of the higher HIV rates in Canada with 13.9 people per 100,000 infected. The rate in the PAPHR is much greater at 61 per 100,000. 

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Mah said informing the public of the seriousness of the illness, showing them ways to keep protected and highlighting the supports available for those infected are key to ensure that even individuals with HIV can live long healthy lives.

Dr. Navid Robertson said the world of HIV is “very different than the scary world it was 20 or 30 years ago.” The family physician said HIV is an epidemic in the province. 

His hope is to get as many people tested and treated as possible to help sideline future transmissions as those on treatment are at much less of a risk for transmitting the virus.

“We know that we have very effective medications now. We expect people who are infected and on treatment to live very long lives afterwards,” he said. “We know that if we are treating people, we are preventing other people from getting infected.”

There are many challenges to getting people tested. Besides the obvious stigma, Dr. Robertson said many people are afraid to know their status or to even be associated with the test. The doctor attributed the high rates to deeper social issues that needed to be addressed in Saskatchewan.

“What we are really trying to do is break down those barriers. It is okay to get tested and okay to know what your status is. There are very good treatment options viable now,” he said, noting most patients do well on a “one pill once a day regimen.” 

The test is very simple. It can be added to any regular blood work or at the point of care. It is a simple prick of the finger and patients can know their status within minutes.

Despite a culture shift behind the infection, and drastically reducing rates where they were once astronomical, he maintained the need to find new cases and get them on treatment as quickly as possible. 

Police Chief Troy Cooper, Prince Albert Northcote NDP MLA Nicole Rancourt and Ward 3 Coun. Evert Botha were all on hand to get tested. Each encouraged residents to turn out.

Rancourt believed the clinic was a good first step in breaking the stigma and fighting the epidemic in the province. She applauded the work of those who have helped treat those infected and said it was important for people to realize we have these services and that they can access them.

This was echoed by Botha who added it was everyone’s responsibility to know their status.

“For us as citizens and residents, I think it is important to know our status. It affects everything we do,” he said.

The clinic will run Tuesday at the Access Place on 15 Street East starting at 1 p.m. 

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr