By Frank Larue
Doctors in Saskatchewan want the provincial government to declare a state of emergency because of the increasing number of HIV and AIDS patients. “We are seeing an increase in the number of cases. For example, there were 114 new cases in 2014, 158 in 2015,” explains Doctor Ryan Meili, a Saskatoon doctor who is familiar with HIV patients. He told the CBC, “In the last 10 years, we’ve seen over 1,500 people infected with HIV in the province.”
Saskatchewan HIV cases are twice as high as the national average. (Photo Credit: DREAMSTIME)
Saskatchewan HIV cases are twice as high as the national average. “We perceive this as an emergency, two people are dying every month.” Dr. Stephen Sanches, emphasizing the concern of the medical profession, “Over ten people are being diagnosed with a new infection every month an that’s only going up. So we’re really sounding the alarm.”
Aboriginal communities have noticed the increase in HIV, Saskatoon Tribal council Chief Felix Thomas told the CBC, “It’s still an unpopular disease that has a lot of misconceptions about it. And, it’s still a disease that people think only affects a certain segment of the population and that’s something we have to get past.”
AIDS Saskatoon director Jason Mercredi feels everyone should be tested. “Aids and HIV are often considered a fatal illness that resides in gay communities diagnosed positive, and we just need to get the message across that it doesn’t matter if you think you’re at risk or not, just make it part of your standard, normal, physical studies.”
Dr. Kris Stewart who works with HIV in Saskatoon is aware of the problems some of the more remote reservations are facing. “We have demonstrated success in Saskatoon, and in certain communities. Some reserve communities have been extremely progressive in their approach to HIV, and they’ve demonstrated how successful we can be in preventing the progression of illness and preventing transmission. Other areas, we simply don’t have the infrastructure in place. We’re not testing adequately as we don’t have clinical capacity. The health regions themselves, I’m not sure understand what they’re dealing with. We need a different response than we have.”
