It’s HIV Awareness Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness of HIV that culminates in World AIDS Day on December 1.
Spokesperson Angèl Riess says the purpose of the campaign is to talk about HIV, advances in treatment, pathways to care, advocate for change, and honour those living or lost to HIV in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts.
She says this week’s activities range from a women-centred talk to a lecture from Scott Neufeld on Tuesday to a free movie night at Sudbury Indie Cinema featuring a showing of the film Philadelphia.
Riess adds that the Agency will also provide education about the changes in HIV testing, treatment, and care since the 1990s.
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According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, approximately 65,270 people were living with HIV in Canada at the end of 2022. Among these individuals, one in ten were unaware of their HIV status. New HIV diagnoses increased by 24.9% in 2022 compared to 2021, with 1,833 people newly diagnosed. While the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily affected access to testing and treatment services, Canada continues to make progress toward the global 95-95-95 targets: 89% of people know their HIV status, 85% of people who know their status are receiving HIV treatment, and 95% of people on treatment have achieved viral suppression.
