It’s Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week and the Northern Inter Tribal Health Authority (NITHA) is using the occasion as an opportunity to educate the public.
NITHA’s Medical Health Officer Dr. Nnambdi Ndubuka said there is still some work to be done in regards to ending the stigma around the disease.
“We’re still seeing some elements of stigma and discrimination, at the individual level and also at the systemic level,” he said.
To combat this issue, Ndubuka explained NITHA is doing advocacy work to end the stigma surrounding the disease. He added one message they are trying to get across is that being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence.
“When people understand the disease, then they can be a little bit more responsible. Both in terms of preventing the infection to other people and also taking responsibility for their own self in terms of seeking early treatment,” he said.
Ndubuka said the health authority is also engaged in work to stop the spread of the disease. This involves harm reduction strategies, such as promoting the use of clean needles. According to Ndubuka more than 56 per cent of new cases were from people who reported injection drug use.
“Harm reduction supplies are also provided to individuals,” he said.
Along with harm reduction, Ndubuka said the health authority is working to increase testing. He said in 2019 testing increased by 37 per cent.
In 2019 NITHA reported 16 new cases, which means there was a 44 per cent increase compared to 2018.
Historically northern communities have reported higher per-capita rates of infection when compared with other areas. Ndubuka said this is due to a number of factors, including geographical isolation and social issues like poverty.
Overall Ndubuka said they also hope the week will help spur broad discussions at the local level about the issue and bring a wide array of people together.
“We do believe that this is also an opportunity for all Indigenous communities to really take the time to have a conversation in the communities,” he said.
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