Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) test vending machines have been introduced for the first time in regional Victoria, providing accessible and affordable sexual health services to regional Victorian communities.
Echuca, in the Capaspe Shire, is the first town to receive one of two custom-built STI vending machines, which has been installed at the Echuca Library.
The test vending machine will be moved across regional Victoria in a unique 12-month trial program, an initiative led by the University of Melbourne, Department of Rural Health, Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health (CERSH).
The initiative is part of a pilot program led by the CERSH that aims to improve sexual health outcomes for regional communities, particularly LGBTIQIA+ communities, younger people aged between 16 and 25 and Indigenous Australians.
The vending machines have been created in response to documented rural and regional barriers. Some of these barriers include access to specialist services, long wait times at the doctors, stigmas and privacy concerns.
This is an innovative alternative to healthcare that is accessible for the Campaspe community. The vending machine has been placed discreetly within the library and tests located within are free.
The STI vending machine contains self-testing kits for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and HIV. Any kits that require lab testing should be mailed to the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre for testing. Individuals requiring treatment will be contacted and will receive appropriate care in a safe and suitable location.
The two test vending machines will be rotated across five communities in the Loddon, Mallee and Hume regions. The STI test vending machine will be placed at the Echuca Library until October 2023.
