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BC region-specific care pathways: Island Health

In BC, health services are organized by region (also known as Health Authorities). To find out what health region you live in, consult the following map. You can navigate to region-specific information pages for these different Health Authorities from the BC care pathways landing page, where you can also access HIV care and prevention information that is applicable across the province.

General HIV care and prevention information

  • You can call Island Health Communicable Disease for support:
  • At any time, you can call HealthLink BC at 811 to speak to a nurse and obtain non-emergency health information.

If your HIV self-test result is negative

Access to PrEP

  • Any licensed doctor, or a nurse practitioner with training in treatment for HIV prevention in BC, can provide access to HIV PrEP (i.e., a daily oral HIV medication taken by people who are HIV-negative to prevent HIV infection); more information about PrEP can be found on the SmartSexResource website.
  • If you are a potential HIV PrEP candidate and want to know more, check out the step-by-step and FAQ brochures from the SmartSexResource team and the Community-Based Research Centre.

Access to PEP

  • To find out where a person can access HIV PEP, (i.e., a 4-week course of medications that a person can take if they are HIV negative and think that they have been recently exposed to HIV), contact Island Health Communicable Disease at:
  • You can also go to your local Emergency Department to access HIV PEP (within 72 hours of potential exposure as PEP needs to be started as soon as possible).

If your HIV self-test result is positive

Access to HIV confirmatory testing

HIV care and treatment

Sexual health and other STBBI services

  • Access to testing for other sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBIs) can also take place through a family physician or healthcare provider in your community, a walk-in clinic, or a specialized sexual health clinic.
  • You can use BCCDC’s SmartSexResource web-based clinic finder page to locate local testing locations, or call 604-707-5603 or 1-888-488-7444.
  • If you live in or nearby Victoria, Langford, or Duncan, you can test online for other STBBIs through GetCheckedOnline.

Harm reduction services

  • For access to harm reduction supplies and programs, use the Toward the Heart website finder to locate places offering these services in BC.
  • Island Health’s overdose prevention locations can be found here.
  • Or visit the BCCSU’s Drug Checking site to learn more about drug checking results and alerts in your area.

Peer navigation and community-based organizations

Peer navigators are people with lived experience who can help others learn about available services and resources for people newly diagnosed with HIV. Find out more about peer navigation support in Vancouver Island through the Vancouver Island PWA Society Peer Program.

To locate different community-based organizations in BC, you can visit HIV411.ca/HCV411.ca, a directory of HIV and hepatitis C services. You can also check out the Pacific AIDS Network member list.

You can connect with peer navigators who are there to help support you before, during or after HIV self-testing. You can connect with them through I’m Ready, Talk.

Please note there is also province-wide information on the BC care pathways landing page.