Press Release: PEERS ALLIANCE and Community Outreach Center Partner on Testing Event for World Hepatitis Day 2025
In observance of World Hepatitis Day 2025, P.E.E.R.S. Alliance was proud to partner with the Community Outreach Center to deliver a free Dried Blood Spot Testing and Information Event. World Hepatitis Day, observed annually on July 28th, is a global health day aimed at raising awareness about viral hepatitis and promoting efforts to eliminate it.
Hepatitis B and C are among Canada’s most burdensome infectious diseases in terms of years of life lost and in costs to our healthcare system. With an estimated 476,000 Canadians impacted by chronic infection, early detection and treatment are crucial in reducing transmission rates and improving health outcomes. Since 2018, Prince Edward Island has led the country in efforts to address viral hepatitis with a 10-year Hepatitis C Elimination Plan. Although the goal of eliminating hepatitis C in PEI has not yet been achieved, PEI is on track to become the first province to reach this accomplishment, and events like this help, organizers say.
“Partnerships like this one really support larger provincial health objectives and showcase the amazing things that happen when we all work together,” said Donna Keenan, Director, Community Outreach Center. “People experience marginalization for different reasons, but we know those inequities impact access to prevention, testing, and treatment. We’re here to make sure that support is available where and when people need it.”
In Canada, viral hepatitis disproportionately affects a number of marginalized populations - including Indigenous peoples, people who have a history of incarceration, people who use drugs, and men who have sex with men. The process of dried blood spot testing is non-invasive and can be offered in non-clinical settings by community workers and peer support staff. This approach can remove access barriers and encourage testing among populations considered “hard to reach” through traditional public health programs.
"We are committed to promoting sexual health and harm reduction tools that empower our community," said Tessa Rogers, Harm Reduction Manager with P.E.E.R.S. Alliance. "By providing accessible testing services, we are not only addressing a practical need within our community, but we’re also fostering environments where individuals feel safe and supported to address those health needs. Stigma can be a real barrier for people. We want to normalize STBBI testing - it should be easy and it should feel comfortable.”
At the event, Community Outreach Center Clinic representative Dr. Suzanne Girard provided educational information and answered questions about viral hepatitis, discussing transmission risks, prevention strategies, and treatment options with community members. P.E.E.R.S. Alliance staff distributed snacks, drinks, sunscreen, and naloxone while explaining how the Dried Blood Spot Testing service worked. Community members could access screening for Syphilis, confirmatory testing for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, and viral load testing through the Dried Blood Spot Testing service. Approximately 80 community members attended the event, and 18 provided samples for Dried Blood Spot Testing.
P.E.E.R.S. Alliance is now offering Dried Blood Spot Testing through harm reduction programming. To learn more about DBS testing options in PE, please call PEERS Alliance at 902-566-2437 or email info@peersalliance.ca.
About P.E.E.R.S. Alliance
P.E.E.R.S. Alliance is dedicated to promoting sexual health, harm reduction, 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion, and community wellness in Prince Edward Island. Through education and community building, we strive to reduce stigma and improve access to health and wellness resources for all Island residents, particularly those disproportionately impacted by sexual health inequities.
About The Adventure Group
The Adventure Group is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving our community's needs. A key initiative of The Adventure Group is the Community Outreach Center (COC), which provides essential resources and support to individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Through various programs and partnerships, we assist people in achieving stability and well-being.
