Soonats’ooneh Health Society: Dismantling stigma for people living with HIV – FNHA
December 4, 2025
Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week, held annually Dec. 1-7, shines a light on individuals, families and communities living with HIV. To bring broader awareness to HIV prevention, testing and treatment, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is highlighting recipients of the inaugural Community Wellness Initiative.
HIV is a chronic disease that can be easily managed and treated, yet many people are still fearful of those living with HIV due to stigma and lack of education. For Soonats’ooneh Health Society in Prince George, they’re challenging that stigma with the power of U=U: Undetectable equal untransmissible. This message is at the heart of their anti-stigma work that goes hand in hand with empowering First Nations communities with culturally safe care that heals both body and spirit.
Sustained antiretroviral treatment—also known as ART—reduces the amount of HIV in the body to undetectable levels. U=U refers to a person living with HIV who is on ART and maintains an undetectable viral load and therefore has zero risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners.
