Navigating STI resources in Saskatchewan - BERITAJA

Sexually transmitted infections and diseases proceed to effect the province, according to wellness experts.

Despite the number of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections dropping successful about categories betwixt 2024 and 2025, Saskatchewan still consistently ranks higher than the nationalist average.

“The truth that everyone successful Saskatchewan who’s engaging in, wherever those sorts of fluids are being exchanged, are astatine risk. And it’s — that’s difficult to process sometimes,” explains Dr. Jasmine Hasselback, aesculapian serviceman for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). “It’s an uncomfortable taxable for most, but it’s a really important one.”

STIs are mostly preventable and treatable, but without due education, it could beryllium difficult to navigate this uncomfortable topic. To combat the trend, the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute is highlighting its ‘Keep It Safe’ app.

“It has accusation about contraceptives, for illustration commencement power and condoms and really to usage them. And past it besides has accusation connected STIs and STDs, what they are, what the symptoms (are),” says Abbey Goertzen, intersexual and reproductive wellness programme co-ordinator. “My favorite, and I deliberation the champion characteristic connected the app, is that it has a representation wherever you could spot each the different places you could get tested for STIs successful Saskatchewan.”

STIs could beryllium dispersed done much than conscionable intimacy, including shared supplier instrumentality aliases coming into interaction pinch infected humor aliases fluids. At the University of Saskatchewan’s Student Wellness Centre, unit are keeping things accessible pinch on-site testing and free contraception.

“Stigma is thing that students look to struggle with, but we want to make judge that students are alert that intersexual wellness is portion of their wide health,” said registered caregiver Jill Cowden.

With higher rates of chlamydia appearing connected campus, the Wellness Centre is encouraging students to normalize conversations about consent and health.

“We talk about consent and we thief students admit that there’s nary stigma, that this is thing that we could openly communicate,” adds Jessica Fox, student support and outreach co-ordinator.

And if you’re still emotion nervous, experts propose bringing a friend on and making a nosy time retired of getting tested.