Malta’s Under-Resourced Sexual Health Clinic: One Woman Leaves With Burst Vein As GU Clinic Reaches Full Capacity
One woman has shared her shocking experience at Malta’s under-resourced and under-staffed Genitourinary (GU) Clinic, the country’s sexual health clinic.
Lovin Malta had previously received reports of long queues and months-long waits for appointments at the clinic, however, one woman’s jarring experience shows just how overworked the department had become.
During a routine check-up, one of her veins burst after a nurse, who was rushed off her feet, began taking her blood.
The woman, who has been visiting the clinic for years, was quick to divert any blame away from the GU Clinic itself, who she said had decades of experience. She noted instead that they were hampered by being over-worked and stressed.
“There’s a massive demand but the government just refuses to provide them with increased staff, equipment, or facilities”
In fact, when she spoke to people on the ground, she felt that the staff were eager to provide an impressive service, but their hands were tied by circumstances out of their control.
“No one is to blame, but it is about time the government put sexual health firmly on the agenda”
“The issue has even started affecting the fertility clinic, with women finding out that an undiscovered STD has made them infertile,” she said.
Whether or not the traditionally conservative Malta can accept it, sexual promiscuity is very much part of the everyday lives of a growing number of people across the island, the middle-aged as well as the younger demographics.
“It’s not like the people are going are niche,” the woman said, “there are parents, gay couples, young kids, old people, everyone.”
In fact, recent figures show that 41% of people tested at the clinic had some form of sexually transmitted disease (STD), with 5,830 people going for testing.
The number of consultations per year is roughly 5,800, with close to 75% of all patients being heterosexual and 20% homosexual.
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