HIV AIDS

We provide HIV/AIDS testing, prevention, care, treatment and community support.
People we serveWe provide services to the people who live in the geographic area served by Vancouver Coastal Health.

Services we offer

• Testing - for HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and Hepatitis.
• HIV care and treatment - including primary care, intensive case management, anti-retroviral (ARV) medication management, nutrition counseling and referrals to HIV/AIDS support organizations and specialists.
• Maximally Assisted Therapy (MAT) - for client who need help taking their HIV medications on a daily or weekly basis. 
• Community outreach - prevention, testing and treatment information through mobile clinics, special events and high risk venues. 
• Needle exchange – a safe and legal way to dispose of used needles, and to get clean needles, sterile water, alcohol wipes and health information. 
• Public health follow-up - contract tracing to identify and diagnose others who may have been exposed to the infection.
• Peer education and capacity building - training and resource support for HIV positive individuals to provide testing and education to their peers. 
• Health care provider resources - HIV/AIDS testing, education and training resources for health care professionals.
  

Who should be tested for HIV? We offer HIV testing to anyone who wants to be tested. Anyone who is sexually active should be tested annually. 

Individuals within groups with high HIV rates should be tested every three to six months, including people who are:

• Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
• Aboriginal
• From countries with high HIV levels and their sex partners
• Sexually active adolescents

And people with:

• Current or lifetime history of injection drug use, and their sex partners

• Current or lifetime history of non-injection drug use, and their sex partners
• Current or lifetime history of trading sex for money or drugs/sex workers, and their clients
• Mental health disorders
  

How much does an HIV test cost?  Testing is free and available to anyone.

Where can I get tested?

Family doctor or medical clinic

You can get tested by your family doctor or at any of the following locations:

HIV Testing Locations

In hospital HIV testing will be offered to patients along with regular blood work in some of our hospitals through the Seek and Treat for Optimal Prevention (STOP) of HIV/AIDS pilot project designed to expand access to HIV/AIDS medications among hard-to-reach and vulnerable people in British Columbia.

Resources for health care professionals

Visit our HIV Resources for Health Care Professionals to get posters and find answers to your frequently asked questions about the STOP HIV project. 

HIV/AIDS treatment services Select the links below for the services you are interested in learning more about.  Links will take you to the Find Services directory, which includes descriptions, contact details and related documents for our services.