10,000 free STI testing kits are being ordered every month from the HSE.
New figures show that the service received more than 100,000 orders up to the end of November 2023, while more than 91,000 kits were ordered in 2022.
The service provides people aged 17 and older with the option to test for STIs discreetly at home. Those with a reactive result, indicating a need for additional investigation or treatment, are referred to participating public STI clinics.
Of those ordering a home STI test kit in 2022, 56% reported having never visited a sexual health clinic previously.
The Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy is Hildegarde Naughton;
"I am delighted with the additional access that home STI testing provides, providing a discreet and confidential service for users, leading to quick diagnosis and intervention for those that have a reactive test result. It’s providing increased opportunities for diagnosis and treatment which is particularly important in the context of rising STI rates, both nationally and internationally."
