STI testing in Montreal Village shipping container is a smash hit

People are lining up at a colourful shipping container that has appeared in the heart of the Montreal Village.

It's a pop-up, walk-in clinic for anybody with a Quebec health card to get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STI) — ranging from HIV to chlamydia — in a process that is free and should take about 15 minutes. 

People are welcome to stop by. A nurse will ask some questions before taking blood and urine samples. Results are ready in a matter of days.

It's called La Zone Rose, and it will be around for two months. Along with testing, consultations and sexual health advice will also be offered. 

The community organization RÉZO teamed up with Montreal public health to offer this service.

RÉZO is a Montreal-based non-profit community organization that offers a range of services to men who have sex with men, including trans men, but the La Zone Rose is open to people of all genders.

RÉZO started La Zone Rose in an effort to encourage the public to get tested while bringing the community together. 

Because rapid access to testing remains difficult in Montreal, and because testing is the key to reducing the transmission of HIV and other STIS, RÉZO believes that communities have the right to services that are adapted to them, the organization said in a statement.

Rapid access to testing needed: director

Alexandre Dumont Blais, executive director of RÉZO, said access to rapid testing has been reduced since the pandemic. 

And since opening, the demand for testing at La Zone Rose has skyrocketed to the point that the organization may need to expand its hours. That demand shows the need for such services in the areas, he said.

"It's the first edition. We are learning a lot, but we already see that it is working," said Dumont Blais.

His organization has been doing outreach in the neighbourhood for about three decades, and has long had a kiosk on Ste-Catherine Street in the summer months.

Moving into a shipping container made sense, he said, as it is a visible, high-traffic location protected from the elements.

Appointments aren't needed, he said. Whereas making an appointment online for HIV and STI tests in Montreal can mean a two- to three-week wait, he noted.

Helping vulnerable population

Rodrigo Diaz Llamas, a nurse at SIDEP+ clinic, said it is important to make testing available to vulnerable populations. Some people feel stigmatized going to traditional health-care centres or clinics, he said, and that's why it's important to go into the community to offer services.

"There's always a need for STI checkups," said Diaz Llamas, who was providing testing services at La Zone Rose on Thursday.

He said La Zone Rose is more than just testing. He aims to provide a holistic approach to those who need guidance or referrals to other services.

"Imagine what we could do if we had a lot more money," he added, noting more funding is needed to open longer and train health-care professionals to serve a more diverse population.

Dr. Mylène Drouin, head of Montreal public health, commends the initiative in that statement, saying "it is a model to follow and reproduce."

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) vaccinations will be available on site from Thursday to Saturday until the end of August. 

In Montreal, almost 26,000 first doses and 11,000 second doses of the mpox vaccine have been administered in Montreal to date.