Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week, held annually Dec. 1-7, shines a light on individuals, families and communities living with HIV. To bring broader awareness to HIV prevention, testing and treatment, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is highlighting recipients of the inaugural Community Wellness Initiative.

Positive Living North: No khe̅yoh t'sih'en t'sehena Society (PLN) is an Indigenous-led nonprofit organization providing support, education, and prevention services to people living with, affected by, or at risk of HIV, AIDS, and Hepatitis C in Northern BC. With offices in Prince George, Smithers, and Fort St. John, the team includes educators, support workers, and Elders who deliver culturally safe services focused on sexual health and harm reduction for marginalized groups, especially Indigenous communities and women.

There are approximately 350 people living with HIV in the Northern Health region, many of whom face barriers to care, including limited testing, a shortage of healthcare providers, and lack of educational resources.

 “There are people living with HIV who do not know their status because of the lack of testing and healthcare providers," said Vibusha Madanayake, Education Manager/Interim Co-Executive Director for No khe̅yoh t'sih'en t'sehena Society. “We try to set up testing clinics, which is possible in Prince George because it is a northern hub, but when it comes to rural and remote communities it's still a struggle."

With the new funding through the FNHA Community Wellness Initiative, the Society plans to expand testing services by bringing them directly into communities. Partnerships with FNHA, Northern Health, and First Nation Communities are critical and innovations such as self-test kits will play a key role in addressing geographical and transportation barriers.

 “We noticed that there was a lot of people migrating to Prince George because that's where the services are," explained Uju Egbuawa, Support Services Manager of the Society. “We've seen people become unhoused and have difficulty navigating the basic things for living. With this funding, we want to bring the services to them where their homes and their families are."

The Society's approach is deeply grounded in Indigenous teachings, with culture serving as a cornerstone of care. Elders and Indigenous educators guide programs, ensuring cultural protocols are respected.

“People are really scared of getting tested because of the challenges they have faced over the years with colonization," said Vibusha. “With the work we do culture is really important and valuable. We are always guided by our Elders, by culture, and by lived and living experience."

Uju added that cultural activities such as land-based healing is greatly valued by the Society, not just because of the Indigenous-led nature of it but because it has been proven to work for clients.

“To help people work through trauma, land-based healing, sitting with an Elder or following cultural protocols is so important," she said.

Stigma remains one of the greatest challenges for people living with HIV, often leading to social isolation and discrimination in healthcare. To combat this, the team provides “HIV 101" sessions to help communities understand transmission, prevention, treatment and dispel myths.

“When we go out to communities, we see that there are still so many misconceptions about HIV transmission," said Vibusha. “Some people still believe it is an airborne disease or that it can be transferred through toilet seats or by sharing a drinking glass. In these sessions when we explain that HIV cannot be spread through casual contact, we have seen people cry because they realize they treated a friend or colleague unfairly."

While global targets aim for elimination of HIV by 2030, communities in Northern BC continue to face significant challenges.

“HIV is still here," said Uju. “We have made a lot of progress but there is still so much work to do in the North. On behalf of our members and northern communities, we want to emphasis that education, testing, and culturally safe care must continue if we are to eradicate HIV."

To learn more about Positive Living North: No khe̅yoh t'sih'en t'sehena Society, please visit positivelivingnorth.org.

Related

FNHA's Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections (STBBI) webpage​