Community outreach van for AIDS Committee

The AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area marked World Hepatitis Day yesterday by officially launching their new community outreach van.

Keri McGuire-Trahan,the Hepatitis C Nurse Practitioner at the AIDS Committee says van’s aren’t cheap but they need a vehicle to get around so they can serve their clients.

She says now they can thanks to a donation from Specialty Rx Solutions.

“The back of the van is harm reduction equipment including condoms, fresh needles, inhalation kits, naloxone kits and the front is the nursing station,” she says.

She says their catchment area is from Parry Sound to Moosonee and the van will be travelling to various communities five days a week.

McGuire-Trahan says they need to be mobile to see their clients.

“They aren’t cheap and you’re paying for gas as well. We were always limited by our budget because we had to pay attention to what vans were costing,” she says

She says its important for people to get checked and see if they have Hepatitis C.

(photo by station staff)