Sexual health walk-in clinics offered in Summerside, Charlottetown
'It probably takes a lot of nerve for people to pick up that phone and call [their family doctor]'
Health P.E.I. will now offer sexual health evening walk-in clinics in Charlottetown and Summerside, P.E.I. starting Tuesday.
P.E.I. was the only province without such clinics.
Tests will be carried out by a nurse or nurse practitioner.
According to the province's website, three upcoming clinics are scheduled in each city on Tuesdays: July 10, Sept. 4 and Nov. 13 at the Harbourside Health Centre in Summerside, and Aug. 28, Oct. 9 and Dec. 11 at the Polyclinic in Charlottetown. No appointment is needed.
Tests can be anonymous — if they're negative
Each clinic runs from 4 to 8 p.m. and will offer testing for sexually-transmitted and blood-borne infections including gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, syphilis and Hepatitis C. Pap testing is also available.
Islanders can request a test using a code instead of their name. But if they test positive, the result will be reported to public health using their name.
Rachelle Pike, manager of the Women's Wellness Program and Sexual Health Services, said the clinic is a "caring, non-judgmental environment."
"Sometimes it probably takes a lot of nerve for people to pick up that phone and call [their family doctor]," she said.
'See if the need is there'
It will also be convenient for people who work during the day, Pike said.
There will be two months between clinics in each city, but more clinics could be added if demand is high, Pike said.
"Right now we just want to test the waters and see if the need is there. If we are finding it's quite busy, we will look at adding more dates," Pike said.
Some sexually-transmitted infections have no symptoms, she said, so it's important to get tested.
Test results will take a week or two to come back, the province's website says.
Sexual health services are provided to Islanders of all genders, orientations and ages through the women's wellness program.