Manitoba government reaffirms commitment to HIV prevention

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In observance of World AIDS Day, the Manitoba government is reaffirming its commitment to support person-centred, culturally safe initiatives that improve access to HIV prevention and intervention, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara and Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith announced today.

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“Our province has one of the highest rates of HIV in Canada and it’s a direct result of years of inaction by the previous government,” Asagwara said. “This report highlights the previous government’s record on harm reduction and on health care. Reversing the damage left by the previous government is going to take time and we are working to support people living with HIV to access care, prevent further transmission, reduce stigma and support healing in our communities. There is a lot of work still to do.”

The Manitoba government has invested over $8 million on initiatives to increase access to care for care for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) and promoting awareness of HIV in Manitoba including:

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• removing barriers to accessing HIV medication by providing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) for free;
• funding community-based projects that improve access to HIV prevention and intervention including mobile care service;
• developing the Program to Access Treatment for HIV and Support (PATHS);
• supporting ongoing work with Ka Ni Kanichihk’s Mino Pimatisiwin Sexual Wellness Lodge to provide Indigenous-led and culturally safe care;
• hiring dedicated staff across the province who support public health follow-up for non-complex STBBI cases and contacts; and
• supporting the Dr. Dick Smith HIV Epidemiology Fellowship.

“Risk factors for acquiring HIV in Manitoba are different from national trends,” Smith said. “In Manitoba, HIV transmission is being driven by co-occurring epidemics of injection drug use, mental health conditions, being unhoused and having other STBBIs. We’re working with community to break down systemic barriers and disrupt the current trajectory of cases.”

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HIV in Manitoba 2023: Annual Surveillance Update is being released today, just after World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, which is a global movement that aims to raise awareness about HIV-AIDS and remove stigma.

The annual report provides epidemiological trends of HIV in Manitoba, said Asagwara, noting this data is critical for developing new and adapting existing initiatives to ensure they effectively meet community needs.

Some of the key findings from the report include persons who inject drugs were the largest driver of transmission among both males and females. Individuals 30 to 39 years of age accounted for the highest proportion of newly diagnosed cases. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority had the highest number of HIV cases (198 of 280 cases) and the second-highest incidence rate (23.7 cases per 100,000 people). The Northern Health Region had the highest incidence rate with 37.4 cases per 100,000 people.

Manitoba’s 2023 surveillance report on HIV is now available at www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/surveillance/hivaids/index.html.

Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care data on STBBIs is available at https://gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/surveillance/stbbi/index.html.

Information for the public and STBBI guidance and protocols for health-care providers are available at www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cdc/sti/index.html.

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