Regina HIV testing pilot project getting ‘positive’ feedback

Regina non-profit Wellness Wheel says its pilot project to get more people tested for HIV has been getting good reviews.

Since December, a Regina pharmacy has been offering the test to everyone who walks in and will continue to do so until June.

“(For pharmacists), being able to have a conversation with their clientele around HIV has been very valuable for them. The client feedback, at this point, has also been very positive,” said Susanne Nicolay, clinic and projects coordinator for Wellness Wheel.

“People are very appreciative of being asked, people are very appreciative of the process.”

Nicolay said offering testing through pharmacists works because they are among the most readily-accessible healthcare providers and are qualified to give healthcare advice.

Saskatchewan has the highest rates of HIV infection in the country. About a quarter of people with HIV don’t know their status and do not get treatment.

Indigenous people and those who use injection drugs are among those disproportionately affected by HIV.

All sexually-active adults should be offered testing for HIV every five years, Nicolay said.

“Many people, however, are either not offered testing nor do they think themselves to be at risk. By offering it to all customers all the time, it takes the sometimes-uncomfortable conversations about risk out of the equation,” she said, adding the blanket offer makes it easy.

“We don’t have to further stigmatize someone’s sex partner or life partner or their substance abuse issues.”

Nicolay said the pilot would be considered successful if lots of people are being offered the test, and that people are comfortable with taking it.

She said there has been interest from other pharmacies in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert in offering testing as well.

“Hopefully there will be some way to engage with those pharmacies to have them provide HIV and even (Hepatitis C) testing once the pilot project is done.”