The above images is a screen capture of one of the posters being used by Interior Health in its campaign to stop the spread of HIV. TRU is participating in the campaign by hosting a series of free and confidential testing clinics.
With files from Interior Health
Nurses from the Interior Heath Nurse Outreach team are coming to campus for a series of free and confidential HIV testing and information days.
The first clinic is Friday, Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wellness Centre, located in OM 1479.
The outreach nurses will also be in Students Street to answer questions and explain the testing process.
Other scheduled days and times
Clinics are scheduled for the last Thursday of every month — Feb. 26, March 26, April 30, and May 28 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the TRU Health Clinic in Old Main 1463.
Appointments can be made by calling 250-828-5126. Some drop-ins will be accepted if space permits.
How the TRU clinics are possible
This new on-campus testing is made possible through a partnership between the TRU Wellness Centre, TRU Health Services, and the Interior Health HIV Outreach Nurse team. All testing is free and confidential.
Why get tested?
- It’s a fast way to confirm your HIV status
- Often there are no symptoms, meaning it can be unknowingly passed onto partners
- The only way to know your HIV status is to be tested
- Treatment is available at no cost and helps to prevent the transmission to partners
- Early diagnosis means better outcomes
HIV testing guidelines in British Columbia
- Routinely, every five years, for those 18-70 years old
- Routinely, every year, for people belonging to populations with higher burden of HIV infections
Fast Facts
- One in four people living with HIV don’t know it
- Every three hours a person is infected with HIV in Canada
- In BC it’s estimated that approximately 3,500 people are living with HIV and unaware of their status
- In Canada there’s approximately 18,500 undiagnosed HIV cases
- There has been an eight per cent increase in HIV cases in Canada since 2011
- HIV is most easily transmitted during the first few months after infection
Related links
Interior Health sets its sights on stopping HIV
Interior Health gets sexy to promote HIV testing
CATIE — Canada’s source for HIV and hepatitis C information
