Two Rivers Health Department to offer STI testing

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - The Two Rivers Health Department is going to be offering Sexually Transmitted Infection, or STI, testing in the future in order to curb the spread in their community.

According to the department’s monthly newsletter, they conducted almost 300 STI investigations. Out of those, 87% were chlamydia, 5% were gonorrhea, 5% were syphilis and 3% were HIV/AIDS.

The department hopes that offering low cost testing will help limit the number of infections, according to Jordan Anderson, the Public Health Nurse who is in charge of the testing program.

“TRPG saw a growing need for accessible and confidential STI testing in our community,” said Anderson. “We want to make sure that people have easy access to care without feeling stigmatized or judged. So this clinic is really going to be focused on prevention, early diagnosis and reducing the spread of STIs.”

The department also offers services for those infected, like Partner Services.

“Partner Services is basically if they don’t feel comfortable talking to their partners, we do it confidentially for them,” said Anderson. “We don’t ever give out their name, don’t ever give out their information, timeline, gender, anything like that, that would give any clues to you know who this person was exposed to. But that’s one of the big things we do to help stop the spread of STIs.”

The testing program is not available yet, but will be in a few months.

Two Rivers Health Department covers Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney, and Phelps Counties. If you need to get in touch with them about STIs or have a question, you can call them at (888) 669-7154.

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