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Anyone wishing to be tested for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can do so at a nearby Interior Health Lab, including those at Williams Lake, 100 Mile House and Quesnel.
Patients can go to any IH laboratory and be tested for HIV without first consulting their doctor or nurse practitioner.
We have exciting news! From today, you can visit any IH lab and get a #HIVtest completed. It's as simple as that – no need to first meet with a doctor or health care provider. https://t.co/7BBlS8EhyS pic.twitter.com/bhXJ8Ow7qX
– Inner Health (@Interior_Health) November 1, 2018
Patients can fill out a laboratory application themselves and bring it to the laboratory, ask the laboratory to perform the test or request that the test be added to existing blood tests ordered.
"Today, thanks to early diagnosis and advances in treatment and care, HIV is a chronic and manageable disease," said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. "The first step is to determine if you are HIV-positive and that's why I applaud Interior Health for making the HIV test more accessible to British Columbians."
On-demand HIV testing began at Interior Health in 2016 with an innovative partnership with Valley Medical Laboratories in Okanagan.
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Building on the success of this program, Interior Health is eager to expand its service to the entire region.
"Interior Health is committed to providing people with accessible, patient-centered care that is respectful of their dignity and privacy," said Doug Cochrane, Chair of the Board of Directors. Interior Health Division. "By eliminating barriers to testing and allowing people to test themselves on their own terms, we are making it easier for people living with HIV to get the care they need."
Early diagnosis is vital for HIV treatment, but one in four people living with HIV do not know it.
"When people have easy access to HIV testing, they are much more willing to be tested," said Maja Karlsson, head of the Domestic Health Division of Harm Reduction and Health Awareness. "I encourage everyone to get tested for HIV as part of their health routine."
Patients who request a test in an IH lab will receive information about the test and the process of tracking negative and positive results. The results are available two weeks after the test.
There is no additional follow-up for patients whose test is negative.
Patients who test positive will be contacted by a nurse who will provide support, education, follow-up care and referral to a physician if needed.
Non-nominal tests for HIV are not conducted as part of the on-demand program.
If a patient wishes to perform a test without his name, you can do it through a family doctor or a nurse practitioner.
On-Demand HIV Testing is a partnership between the Interior Health Laboratory Laboratory Services and the STOP HIV program, which aims to reduce transmission and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV.
BC-CfE congratulates Interior Health who continues to innovate for the expansion of HIV testing. "Easier access to HIV testing is a key part of BC's prevention of treatment strategy," said Dr. Julio Montaner, Director of the HIV / AIDS Center of Excellence. from British Columbia.
To find the IH lab nearest you, visit interiorhealth.ca/findlab.
In addition to expanding access to HIV testing, access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is critical to halting the fight against HIV / AIDS. PrEP and PEP are part of the prevention treatment strategy ® of the British Columbia Center for Excellence in HIV / AIDS (BC-CfE), which has led to a steady decline in the number of new cases of HIV.
Since BC introduced free PrEP coverage and expanded access to PEP for people at risk for HIV infection on January 1, 2018, more than 3,000 people have been living with HIV. province-wide have been prescribed this extremely effective drug for HIV prevention.
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