Global Lessons, Local Actions: Gabriel Jarquin

Gabriel Jarquin doesn’t let HIV slow him down. The competitive marathon runner and Experience Director of Pride & Remembrance Run vividly remembers receiving his diagnosis. “The doctor that gave me the news was just as uncomfortable as me receiving it, and I remember leaving the clinic feeling very empty.”
While Canada’s healthcare system has made strides in improving the sexual health for our communities, there’s still a stigma with HIV and other STBBIs that is unwavering, “so people don't get tested, because they either don't have access to getting tested, or out of fear of how a positive result will affect their lives,” Gabriel says.
With one in ten Canadians not knowing their HIV status, testing and identifying new cases so that people can be connected to treatment and care is a top priority. In August, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced a total of $17.9 million for the distribution of HIV self-testing kits, and other methods of HIV testing.
HIV self-testing kits are a confidential and safe way for anyone to find out their HIV status, and will be more readily accessible across Canada with more community-based organizations getting access to these lifesaving resources and more ways to deliver these kits to all Canadians.
Resources:
www.priderun.org/
www.canada.ca/en/public-healt...