Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week 2017

Public Service Announcement

Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week 2017

Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week is December 1 to 7, 2017. Nunavummiut, now is the perfect time to help reduce the stigma around HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections by talking about prevention! Getting tested to know your status will protect you, your partner(s), and your communities.

Current rates of HIV/AIDS are very low in Nunavut. The past few years have seen positive changes for people diagnosed with HIV. With new treatments available, people who have HIV are now living longer. These treatments also reduce the risk of giving HIV to another person.

There are three things Nunavummiut can do to prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs):

1) Talk about sexuality, HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and other STIs to help reduce stigma, fear and shame.

2) Use condoms. Condoms and lubricants are free at health centres and other community locations in Nunavut.

3) Get tested for HIV, syphilis, and other STIs before having sex with a new partner, if you or your partner(s) have sex with someone other than each other, and if you have symptoms (like unusual tiredness, painless sores or discharge from the penis or vagina). Get tested even if you’ve used a condom.

The Department of Health has a variety of resources available to help Nunavummiut talk with their partners, health care providers, and children about healthy relationships, sexuality, safer sex, sexual consent, and sexually transmitted infection prevention and testing.

For more information on sexual health and HIV/AIDS, visit your health center or www.irespectmyself.ca.

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Media Contact:

Ron Wassink
Communications Specialist
Department of Health
867-975-5710
@email