Provice House is flying a red ribbon flag today to mark World AIDS Day
The province is also recognizing HIV/AIDS Awareness Week, that ends today and Indigenous AIDS Awareness week which begins today, honoring those who live with the disease and those who have lost their lives to it.
Chosen by the United Nations, Equalize is the theme of this year’s events.
“We have come a long way in addressing HIV/AIDS but there is still a lot of work to be done to end the inequities and stigma,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “People who are stigmatized face inequalities and discrimination that delay much-needed healthcare services for prevention, diagnosis and treatment. We cannot allow this to happen in Nova Scotia.”
“COVID-19 has rolled back progress in reaching global HIV testing and treatment targets. New HIV diagnoses have increased so far this year in Nova Scotia. This underscores the urgency to address inequities in prevention, testing and care to stop new infections and ensure everyone with HIV infection has access to treatment and support.”
– Michelle Proctor-Simms, Director, Nova Scotia Advisory Commission on AIDS
There are on average 15-20 new HIV/AIDS cases in NS each year, and by the end of August of this year Public Health had reported more than 20 new HIV cases in the province.
From 1983 there have been 950 cases of HIV reported in NS, to the end of 2021, when reporting began. That number does not include those diagnosed outside of the province.
Nova Scotian’s can get tested for AIDS through family doctors, nurse practitioners, walk-in clinics, as well as Virtual care NS. To get information on testing go to https://www.acns.ns.ca/info-resources/testing.html
