HIV rates in Alberta have skyrocketed. The best line of defense is always to make sure you have been tested, as well as ensuring that each new partner has been recently examined. Also, take extra precautions to never share needles with others. Many pharmacies will give out needles for free, with no questions asked. These are prudent and important measures in ensuring that our province does not become endemic.
There are already many people living in the province with HIV, some that do not even know it yet. The time after a diagnosis might be frightening for some people. If you have HIV in Edmonton and do not know where to turn,
HIV Edmonton is a great place to start. The links on the website list Edmonton HIV practitioners and describe the Northern Alberta Program.
This is an excellent place to start for those who have been newly diagnosed. It is located at
11400 University Avenue, Edmonton.
This is an easy area to access as there is direct LRT access to the University of Alberta LRT station. The program is usually by referral from a physician, but if a person is new to the city, the clinic also takes
self referrals. This is an excellent place to start with a diagnosis because the NAP has a team of co-ordinated professionals there to help the person manage their disease. These professionals include dietitians, infectious disease physicians, pharmacists, psychologists, registered nurses, and social workers.
The clinic can be reached by phone at
780-407-8372 or toll-free at
1-866-407-8371.
One surprising fact about HIV is that after diagnosis, many people choose not to take medication. Whether there are worries about efficacy, too many negative side effects, or patients have lost hope in living a healthy life after diagnosis, this remains a personal decision for each patient.
CTV Edmonton has recently reported on one new treatment for HIV that has come out, called Stribild, that has just been approved by Health Canada. It combines various antiviral medicines into a single dose pill. This pill might be a new answer for patients that could not tolerate the side effects of the other 3 antiviral pills that are on the market in Alberta for the treatment of HIV. The
Alberta government is in the process of assessing whether it will fund this treatment through its low-income health plan.
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For more in depth information regarding HIV treatment, a patient can also ask their doctor to be referred to one of two clinics in the Edmonton area.
Infectious Disease Clinic Primary care services for those living with HIV is on
10240 Kingsway Avenue NW, Edmonton. This clinic is for those who want more information regarding HIV medications and need monitoring for their disease. They also have connections to social workers and other support services needed.
Their primary care services helps provide all the care necessary for patients that are living with HIV. They are located at
8440 112 Street NW, Edmonton, and their phone number is
(780)-407-8822.
There are many places that people living with HIV in Edmonton can go to get help. It is important not to lose sight of objectives after a diagnosis, and to know that support is not necessarily always just about medication. Many excellent medical professionals can help with the day in, day out issues that arise in living with a chronic condition.
