Presentation helps share up-to-date health-care information
The Manitoba Harm Reduction Network welcomed residents to their World Aids Day Gathering on Dec. 1. This event had health-care professionals coming together to provide community consultation on HIV treatment, STBBI testing, vaccinations, and a health-care clinic. But, the main event of the day was a presentation by Nurse Practitioner Chrissy Rowan who shared the most up-to-date local information available about HIV in our area and also local resources that can help reduce the spread and help people with HIV in our community.
Tristan Dreilich, network coordinator – Selkirk for the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network started off the discussion by letting residents know about all of the resources that were available at the event.
After a land acknowledgement, Knowledge Keeper Jeannie White Bird led the group in the prayer, and the Women Forever Drum Group welcomed residents with their performance.
Dreilich then came back and added some context to the conversation.
“We should acknowledge that we’re celebrating World AIDS Day today. There’s been a long history of how folks with HIV, and more specifically the queer community has been impacted by hate and stigma throughout the years, and how that has impacted access to things like care, medicine, and basic dignity. [This day is] also the start of Indigenous HIV Awareness Week. It means a lot to me to be able to partner and have relationships with folks who can speak and share knowledge and hold space for Indigenous knowledge. [We need to] also recognize when we think of HIV and HIV in our communities, that Indigenous folks are disproportionately affected,” said Dreilich.
He then welcomed Rowan to the podium to discuss how far HIV medicine has improved in recent years.
She introduced herself as a primary care nurse practitioner in Selkirk as well as a new prescriber of HIV prevention medication. She said that though she doesn’t consider herself an expert she would be sharing the information that she has.
“I’m very passionate about prevention of all health issues and health equity,” she said.
She started with the basics.
“HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus. It weakens the immune system,” said Rowan.
When treated it’s a manageable chronic condition and when untreated it can cause more susceptibility to infections and cancers.
She explained that the disease is spread through body fluids.
Rowan showed the group the 2021 Manitoba HIV Surveillance Report which showed year over year the test positivity rate is increasing in the province. This means the number of cases for the most recent year’s data that we have available is showing the disease is spreading more quickly than in previous years.
The two main ways that HIV is spreading are through sexual contact and the sharing of needles which means that using barrier methods, not sharing needles and having testing available so that people can know their status and protect themselves and others are all prevention options.
Rowan went on to explain that there are now post-exposure medications that should be taken as soon as someone realizes that they have potentially been exposed and can be used up to 72 hours after exposure. They are available in emergency rooms and urgent care because exposure is an emergency situation.
There are also medications that people can take if they are at risk of exposure.
“It’s extremely effective, up to 99% effective at preventing HIV after an exposure,” said Rowan.
People who believe they are at risk can talk to their healthcare providers who can do an assessment which will likely include blood tests and some personal questions to see if they are eligible for this pre-exposure medication.
Rowan explained that if someone happens to be diagnosed with HIV there are some great treatments now available which make it so that HIV can be managed as a chronic condition.
HIV self-test kits, which are kits that residents can use in the comfort of their homes to test for HIV, were available at the event and are available in our community.
“If you don’t know about the self-test kits, it’s something we’re super excited about. You can take up to five of them with you today and you can test from the privacy of your own home. They’re 99.9% accurate, and they’re made to be distributed throughout the community,” Dreilich said.
They are also available locally from Dreilich at the Community Health Office at 237 Manitoba Ave. and people who receive a positive result are encouraged to follow up with their health-care provider.
For more information about HIV support, care, and information residents can go to the Manitoba HIV Program website at www.mbHIV.ca or call them at 1-866-449-0165. They can also reach out to Dreilich and the MHRN at tristan@mhrn.ca
