Ottawa to spend $5M on HIV self-testing kits

Manitoba, which has the country’s highest HIV rate, will receive a significant share of $5 million in federal funding for HIV testing and supports.

The province declared a public health emergency over rising HIV rates in May. Manitoba’s HIV rate is more than three times the national average. In 2024, the province had 19.5 cases per 100,000 people, compared with 5.5 nationally.

Dr. Joss Reimer, Canada’s chief public health officer, said Thursday at the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network in Winnipeg, said one in 10 Canadians who have HIV do not know their status.

“Knowing one’s HIV status enables access to prevention options, or for those who test positive, early treatment to improve outcomes and prevent transmission,” Reimer said.

The federal government wants to work with organizations such as the network because they already have relationships with individuals.

Of the $5 million announced Thursday, $2 million will purchase 80,000 OraQuick HIV self-testing kits, which use an oral swab. The rest will fund peer support workers to help connect people with testing, prevention and treatment.

The funding will be distributed across Canada based on areas of greatest need, with the focus on populations that have barriers to care, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis people; people who share drug-use equipment; gay, bisexual, two-spirit, transgender and men who have sex with men; and Black and other racialized communities.

Nationally, more than 70,000 people have HIV, which attacks the immune system and can progress to AIDS if left untreated.

Officials did not say Thursday how many of the 80,000 tests or peer support workers will be allocated to Manitoba. Numbers are being finalized, Reimer said, but added Manitoba will “absolutely” be an area of focus.

“The (emergency declaration) really shone a light on the seriousness of the issue… amplifying the need for assistance from our federal partners,” Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said.

“I’m thrilled that Canada has responded to that. This is an announcement, today, that reflects their commitment that more Canadians have access to this care, but certainly reflects their commitment that more Manitobans have access to this care.”

The harm reduction network, which has 11 regional sites and 10 regional peer advisory councils, including in Thompson, Brandon and Powerview-Pine Falls, will help distribute the tests and peer support staff.

“We already have the infrastructure, we already have the model,” said executive director Shohan Illsley, whose organization has helped distribute the INSTI HIV tests, which use blood from a finger prick.

“Expanding access to HIV self tests and peer support services will help improve access to low-barrier testing modes, particularly in rural, remote, and northern communities where stigma has the greatest impact on access to testing and linkage to care for HIV.”

The network has about 550 members, including health-care and social service providers, peers, knowledge keepers and community members.

Illsley said significant barriers continue to keep some Manitobans from getting tested and treated.

“No. 1 is racism,” Illsley said. “We also know that stigma related to substance use, primarily injection drug use, is also a significant barrier to accessing treatment.”

Those challenges can be acute in northern and remote communities where health-care providers do not live locally, she said.

Previous negative experiences with the health-care system can also deter people from seeking care.

Making self-tests more widely available could help connect more people to PrEP, a prescription medication that reduces the risk of contracting the virus, Illsley said.

“We also know that having access to the self-tests will support an increase in access to PrEP enrolment… because when people can test themselves and they identify that they’re engaging in behaviours that are risky, they come up with a negative test, they then can initiate engagement in PrEP,” she said.

PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, has been available free in Manitoba since 2024. Without coverage, it can cost upwards of $300 a month.

The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange welcomed Thursday’s announcement but cautioned funding needs to be sustained.

“With Canada reporting a 23 per cent increase in estimated HIV infections, community-based workers have their work cut out for them,” executive director Jody Jollimore said in a statement. “This one-time investment will help diagnose more of these Canadians, but to keep the epidemic under control we need long-term commitment.”

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca