Health authority working to increase access to HIV self-testing kits

On the heels of World AIDS Day on Monday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority says it is working to expand access to HIV self-testing kits.

The health authority said the kits offer a safe, reliable way to test for HIV at a time and location that’s most convenient for the patient. The kits only require a small sample of blood drawn from a fingertip, the health authority noted, and deliver accurate results in just one minute.

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Positive results must be confirmed through additional, in-person testing, the health authority noted, emphasizing that in-person testing remains free, confidential and widely available across Saskatchewan.

Thanks to $48,000 in funding from the provincial government, the health authority said the self-testing kits can be picked up at a number of health authority locations and facilities, as well as from a selection of community organizations, First Nations nursing stations, pharmacies, clinics and post-secondary educational institutions. A complete list of all 38 locations offering the kits can be found on the health authority’s website, including seven locations in Regina, five in Saskatoon and two in Prince Albert.

Any community-based organization interested in becoming a distribution site for the testing kits was encouraged to sign up on the health authority’s website in order to expand the availability even further.

“The ability to self-test for HIV empowers individuals to take charge of their health in a private, convenient and accessible way,” Jacqui Kennett-Peppler, the authority’s executive director of primary health care for the southeast region, said in a statement.

“Quick and confidential testing supports early diagnosis, which is essential for connecting people to care, initiating treatment sooner and ultimately improving health outcomes. This initiative reflects our commitment to reducing barriers and promoting equitable access to care for all Saskatchewan residents.”

Lori Carr, Saskatchewan’s minister of mental health and addictions, said the government is committed to making HIV testing easy and accessible for all residents of the province.

“By expanding access to free self-testing kits, we are empowering people to take control of their health, supporting earlier diagnosis, and helping to reduce the stigma often associated with HIV,” Carr said in a statement issued by the health authority.

“This investment strengthens our ongoing work to ensure all residents can access the care and supports they need, when and where they need them.”

According to the Ministry of Health, in Saskatchewan’s HIV diagnosis rate stood at 18.5 per 100,000 people in 2023, while the national average for first-time diagnoses was 6.1 per 100,000.

More information on HIV and testing options can be found on the provincial government’s website.