Public Health Ministry opens sexual health centre in Bang Rak, Bangkok
In the midst of a rise in STD infections, Thailand’s Public Health Ministry held an opening ceremony yesterday for a new sexual health centre in Bang Rak district in Bangkok. The centre, called Bang Rak Medical Centre Building, is part of Bang Rak Hospital complex on Sathorn road. Some of the centre’s services will include test-and-go services for STIs, and self-sample Human Papillomavirus testing. The director-general of the Disease Control Department said STI prevention will also be part of the centre. There will also be counselling services, and treatment for people who already have sexually transmitted diseases.
The hospital provided sexual health services before, but deputy PM and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said this new centre is a transition to one-stop services. The ratio of people with syphilis rose from 11 patients out of every 100,000 in 2015, to 50 patients out of every 100,000 in 2021. The ratio of people in this age group with gonorrhea was 58:100,000. In 2020, the ratio of people with any sexually transmitted disease was 33.6:100,000.
The centre will expand its services in 2023, adding hepatitis C testing and check-ups for people travelling and applying for jobs, among other new services.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
