Dec. 1, 2013 marks World AIDS Day. In Canada, it is a day dedicated to remembering those who have passed on and to raising awareness about AIDS and the spreading of the HIV virus.
It is also a time to think back on what we have accomplished and what we still need to do ensure that there are no new cases of HIV infection.
Great strides have been made in the area of medications and treatments for those living with HIV. A lot of significant work is being done in the area of prevention and harm reduction, and available services have been increased.
But much work still needs to be done on our road to “getting to zero.”
Currently there are close to 1,200 Manitobans living with HIV. Between Jan. 1, 2013 and Sept. 31, 2013, there were 84 newly diagnosed cases of HIV, with 40 per cent of diagnosed cases occurring outside of Winnipeg.
That means people are being diagnosed with HIV right across our province and even right here in the North.
If we take a look at Saskatchewan, our neighbour to the west, things are even bleaker.
The Saskatchewan HIV positive rate is currently twice the Canadian average and has been since 2008. In 2012 there were 177 new cases of HIV in Saskatchewan with high overrepresentation of aboriginal people.
So what can we, the people of northern Manitoba, do to help in the fight to “getting to zero”? We can do a lot.
We can:
• Become informed. Know and understand the difference between HIV and AIDS and how it is passed form one person to another.
The more we know about HIV, the more able we are to make informed choices that will help lower our risks. Learn more by visiting your library, surfing the web or by talking to your local health professionals.
• Talk about HIV. Nearly 40 per cent of Canadians know, or have known, someone with HIV/AIDS, yet we don’t talk about it.
Not talking about it leaves our children and our communities uniformed and unprotected, and may prevent individuals from protecting themselves when engaging in risky behaviours.
Not talking about it also adds to the anxiety and prejudice against those living with and those affected by HIV or AIDS.
• Work together to reduce stigma. By being more open about HIV / AIDS, we can help reduce the stigma that can prevent individuals from seeking information, getting tested or from accessing treatment and support.
• Spread the word. Spread the word that HIV can affect anyone, regardless of age, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
Nationally, the number of older people living with HIV has been rising steadily in the past decade and a half. In 2011, nearly one out of every five new diagnoses was for a person over 50 years old.
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In Manitoba, heterosexual contact was the predominant risk factor for HIV transmission and in Saskatchewan, it is injection drug use followed by heterosexual activity.
• Know the risks. Engaging in risky behaviours such as unprotected sex, sharing needles or other drug equipment, sharing needles or ink to get a tattoo, sharing needles or jewelry to get a body piercing, sharing acupuncture needles, or taking part in any other activity that includes contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids, can put you at risk of HIV infection.
• Get tested. Being tested and educating yourself on HIV is the first step to HIV prevention. See your doctor, nursing station, or Primary Health Care Centre to find out what testing and services are available.
For information about HIV, contact the Play It Safer Network at 204-687-8856 or visit www.playitsafer.ca, or contact CATIE at 1-800-263-1638 or visit www.catie.ca.
If you are HIV-infected or affected, contact the Manitoba HIV Program by calling 1-888-305-8647 to learn more about services available.
Source: Prairies HIV Conference 2013
