The Prevention is the Cure: HIV Edmonton on U=U, Education, and Ending Stigma in the Community

By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – For more than four decades, HIV Edmonton has been at the forefront of HIV prevention, education, and support services in Alberta. Founded in 1984 during the earliest days of the AIDS crisis, the organization continues to evolve its approach to reflect modern medical breakthroughs while addressing ongoing stigma, inequities, and gaps in access to care.

Executive Director Catherine Broomfield says the organization was born out of community care and urgency.

“HIV Edmonton has been in existence for 42 years,” she said. “We were started in 1984 by a group of friends who were supporting the first Edmontonian who had an AIDS diagnosis.”

Today, HIV Edmonton provides outreach, education, testing, peer support, and wraparound services, while maintaining a strong focus on equity for people impacted by HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs).

“At the heart of our work is making sure stigma, bias, and stereotypes don’t prevent people from accessing care,” Broomfield said.

Breaking Stigma Through Education

One of the most persistent challenges the organization continues to see is misinformation about HIV transmission.

Katherine Ciampa, Indigenous Capacity Building Educator, HIV Edmonton, says education remains one of the most powerful tools in prevention. “A lot of people in the community still believe that HIV can be spread through saliva, sweat, hugging, or sharing dishes,” she said. “So it’s really important to reduce that stigma that people living with HIV face every day.”

Ciampa works directly with Indigenous communities, providing culturally grounded education on HIV and STBBIs. She also highlights the importance of biomedical prevention tools such as PrEP and PEP.

“PrEP is a medication taken by HIV-negative people to prevent HIV infection before exposure,” she said. “PEP must be started within 72 hours after a possible exposure to HIV.”

U=U: A Scientific Breakthrough Changing Lives

One of the most significant advances in HIV science is U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable).

U=U means that when a person living with HIV takes antiretroviral treatment consistently and maintains an undetectable viral load, the virus cannot be transmitted sexually.

Ciampa says the message is essential for reducing stigma. “It reduces stigma and helps people better understand HIV and how it is transmitted,” she said.

When asked about transmission risk, Ciampa was direct: “Someone living with HIV, taking their medication and has an undetectable viral load, has a 0% chance of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners.”

Treatment, Prevention, and a Changing Future

Ciampa explained how people achieve an undetectable viral load through consistent treatment. “They are taking antiretroviral treatment. It usually takes about four to six weeks to start reducing that viral load,” she said.

Treatment is typically taken as a daily pill, though long-acting injectable options are becoming available.

“There is also an injection every two months, and a longer-acting shot has been approved more recently, though it is not yet widely available in Alberta,” Ciampa added.

Funding, Equity, and Indigenous Support

From an organizational perspective, Broomfield says funding remains a constant need for nonprofits working in public health.

HIV Edmonton is also looking to strengthen Indigenous-specific supports.

While the organization currently has an Indigenous Educator and Capacity Building role held by Ciampa, Broomfield says there is still a need for more direct support roles.

“We would like to expand supports for Indigenous communities. While we have an Indigenous Educator and Capacity Builder, we do not currently have a dedicated Indigenous Support Worker,” she said.

“This would help us provide direct support and care through Indigenous ways of knowing, and build stronger, culturally appropriate supports for Indigenous people living with HIV.”