A photo of Big River First Nations’ efforts under the Know Your Status Program. Photo courtesy 2012 slide show on case management.
A number of First Nations are planning to share their knowledge of HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment at a Saskatoon forum this week.
The two-day HIV Knowledge Exchange Forum gets underway Monday morning with a pipe ceremony and opening remarks from health directors from across the province.
Ahtahkakoop and Big River First Nation are among the communities that have implemented an internationally-renowned prevention program called “Know Your Status.”
Ahtahkakoop Chief Larry Ahenekew encourages other First Nations to pick up the program’s culture-based methods, which are aimed to combat the disproportionate HIV and AIDS rates in Indigenous people.
“The Know Your Status program has helped to save lives and provide hope for those living with HIV in our community,” he said in an FSIN news release.
The forum is free to attend, and is aiming to break down stigmas associated with HIV and AIDS.
The Saskatoon Tribal Council will also be addressing Hepatitis C and harm prevention programing it’s been involved in.
“As First Nations, it’s time that we come together to drive the development, expansion and implementation of HIV programs by our people, for our people,” Tribal Chief Felix Thomas said in the news release.
Support will be available for communities to assess their testing and clinical management capabilities as well as HIV, Hepatitis C and Sexually Transmitted Infection education.
“We will get the message out to our communities that HIV is preventable,” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said in the release.
Big River First Nation has followed the community-based, community driven Know Your Status program since 2009.