Sexual health walk-in clinics offered in Summerside, Charlottetown

Health P.E.I. will now offer sexual health evening walk-in clinics inCharlottetown and Summerside, P.E.I. starting Tuesday.

P.E.I. was the only province without suchclinics.

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. andwill 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-judgmentalenvironment."

"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 willalso be convenient for people who work during the day, Pikesaid.

There will be two months between clinics in each city, but more clinics could be added ifdemand 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 takea 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.

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