Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 04/02) - The Yellowknife public health department's sexually transmitted disease clinic is fighting to help bring down rates in the Northwest Territories.

In some cases, those numbers are between six and seven times the national average.

The clinic opened in May of 1999 under the Sexual Health and Risk Reduction Program (SHARP).

"The need had been identified by public health and other professionals," said Joanne MacKinnon, public health nurse. "There are high rates of STDs in the NWT and we have a very young population."

Statistically, youth and adults between the ages of 15 and 29 are most at risk of contracting a STD and MacKinnon said that age group makes up the bulk of her clientele.

The purpose of the clinic is to provide people with the access to information and treatment for their respective conditions.

Education is also a key component to the clinic.

Whether the program is helping to reduce the rates of STDs in the NWT cannot be measured yet.

"It's too young of a program to notice a reduction in STD rates," said MacKinnon.

Generally a program has to be in place for five to 10 years before there are any noticeable results.

"Some of our clients have reported they have changed their attitudes concerning safe sex practices," added MacKinnon.

Public health is always reviewing their programs to determine where they can improve.

"I think there are people involved in risky behaviours that could access our services that aren't, and maybe the onus on us would be to provide an outreach service," said MacKinnon.

Currently the possibility of instituting an outreach program is only in the discussion phase.