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THE HSE HAS launched a free home testing service for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The test kits are available to people aged 17 or over and are delivered by post.
Users complete the tests at home and post the samples to the laboratory in the pre-paid envelope provided. Individuals receive their results by text or phone, and those who require further testing and treatment are referred to participating public STI clinics, ensuring a seamless individual experience.
The HSE said that the new service is most suitable to people who do not have symptoms of an STI. Where a person has symptoms, they are advised to attend an STI clinic or their GP for assessment.
In a press statement, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “This service has already been the subject of a very successful pilot project, initially funded by the Sláintecare Integration Fund and developed by the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (HSCPP).”
Donnelly said the pilot project “saw over 13,000 home testing kits being delivered. Since the conclusion of that pilot programme work has been ongoing on expanding this to a national service.”
Some €550,000 was ringfenced for the scheme as part of Budget 2023.
Professor Fiona Lyons, the HSE’s Clinical Lead for Sexual Health, said: “I am delighted that a free online STI testing service is now available across Ireland. It is an important step towards increasing STI testing access and capacity.
“It offers greater choice to individuals, promotes self-care and overcomes many barriers to STI testing. Integrating the service with public STI clinics ensures that where necessary individuals have a seamless pathway to additional care.”
The launch of the project is being accompanied by a digital, social and outdoor campaign to promote the service.
Maeve O’Brien, Interim Programme Lead for the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme, said: “This initiative brings us one step closer to achieving the aims of the national strategy, which sets out to improve sexual health and wellbeing and reduce negative sexual health outcomes.
“Not only will the new free home STI testing service help to identify and treat undiagnosed infection in our communities, the HSE-led campaign and promotional activity will help to raise awareness of the importance of accessing free STI testing for those who need it; and will help to normalise STI testing as being an important step in self-managing our overall health and wellbeing.”
More information on the scheme, including how to order a kit, is available on sexualwellbeing.ie.
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The virtual stalking gets more intense by the day.
Think FB should slow it down a touch.
I’m sure they have profiles on all of us.
Even if you’re not on Facebook they can get your picture through the webcam on your computer.
Don’t get paranoid now!!
stick a band-aid over it.
Joney
I’m afraid I can’t bury my head in the sand like yourself.
Just remember to write the smallest f*uck you on the reverse side before applying.
Naw I think I will write
Joney is a sheep instead!!!
Said the man with the now overused anonymous face logo on his twitter page, good man Glen!
Great comeback joney that must of took a lot of energy
Baaaaahhh sheep
You will have to do better than that Glen, being called a sheep is not such a big deal to me.
What if your two faced?
I never got deepface before!! Sounds promising!
They should have called it fu*kface.
Never look straight into the camera, folks.
Oh FFS
That’s a face you can’t miss.
They’ll have a hard job detecting some people’s faces after the makeup comes off!
It picks up a centipede as Myley cyrus
have your say