Toby Esterby, chief operations officer at the West Side Community Clinic in Saskatoon, says he’s seeing a constant stream of new HIV diagnoses. “It’s not just one case a week,” he explains. “We’re seeing several new cases every week, week after week.” Recent statistics highlight Saskatchewan as having the highest rate of HIV infections in Canada in 2023, with an infection rate of 19.4 per 100,000 people—more than three times the national rate of 6.1 per 100,000. The West Side Community Clinic, which serves 800 regular patients, is on the front lines of HIV care.
Esterby believes HIV should be preventable, yet the numbers continue to rise. “There should be a plan and resources in place,” he says. “We are struggling with people trying to manage their HIV, make appointments, and take care of themselves. But they are also dealing with issues like food insecurity, housing instability, family problems, and trauma, all of which consume their time and energy.” These social factors prevent many patients from prioritizing their health. “People often talk about how Saskatchewan is one of the more prosperous provinces in Canada, yet here we are,” Esterby points out. He stresses that HIV is a treatable chronic disease, and “nobody should die from HIV.” Unfortunately, “we lose somebody every week.”
Sanctum Care Group, a non-profit in Saskatoon focused on supporting pregnant women at risk of HIV, works to improve prenatal care and ensure women get the proper medications. The group is also home to Saskatchewan’s only HIV hospice and transitional care home. Katelyn Roberts, Sanctum’s executive director, notes that the province struggles to provide the right care and support for those diagnosed with HIV. Many of the pregnant women Sanctum serves face homelessness or substance abuse, with over 70% of the women being homeless and 80% struggling with injection drug use.
Sanctum operates Sanctum 1.5, a 10-bed inpatient home offering 24/7 care to clients from across Saskatchewan, though long waitlists remain a challenge. The group also runs PORT, a prenatal outreach and resource team providing intensive case management in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and Regina, offering wraparound services to women at risk of having their infants removed at birth.
Dr. Cara Spence, an assistant professor in the department of medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, led a two-year study of HIV trends in the province. She noted that while global HIV numbers are decreasing, Saskatchewan’s numbers are not. “Globally, we don’t see these trends anymore,” she says. “HIV is a chronic disease now.” Dr. Spence highlighted that poverty and social determinants of health play a significant role in the ongoing epidemic, with young women being particularly affected. The main risk factor for HIV is unprotected sex, but Dr. Spence points out that when people are dealing with issues like housing and food insecurity, their health often becomes secondary, leaving them more vulnerable to diseases like HIV.
