36.7 million people are still living with HIV, and many of them don’t know it because some people can live for years without showing any symptoms. In Canada, 1 in 5 of the 75,000 people with HIV don’t know they are infected. And, almost 1 in 4 Canadians living with HIV are women. HIV is most commonly spread by: • Unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner. • Through the exchange of blood and other bodily fluids occurring while using unsterilized needles when injecting drugs or while getting piercings or tattoos. • And through childbirth and breastfeeding. But simple blood tests can confirm one’s HIV status, which remains key to preventing transmission and getting treated. Despite important medical advances, social stigma and discrimination remain barriers that might discourage vulnerable populations from getting tested and seeking appropriate treatment. In an effort to bring the HIV epidemic under control, the United Nations has declared a goal to reduce HIV/AIDS by 2030. Their objective is that: • 90% of all people living with HIV will know they have it. • 90% of them will receive antiretroviral therapy. • 90% of those receiving therapy will have durable viral suppression.

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