The testing is being organised by Checkpoint Malta in collaboration with the GU Clinic, HIV Malta and Sexual Health Malta and it’s carried out by trained, non-judgemental volunteers in safe, community-based spaces and results will be given after 20 minutes.

Testing was launched for Malta Pride on the 6th September at the Volunteer Centre Valletta.

This will be followed by a Gozo session at the JAM Project in Victoria on 15th September.

Testing sessions will be taking place on specific Tuesdays in Valletta and certain Thursdays in Victoria both from 5pm to 9pm and this will be strictly done by appointment.

Fast track referrals will be organised when necessary.

Places are limited, so the organisers urge those who are interested in the service to send an email to [email protected].

For more information, click here.

Sexual health in Malta has been highly criticised by news portals, local personalities and the public alike. The government has continuously put it on the back-burner, insinuating that the issue is not of emergent importance – something it most definitely is.

Mater Dei’s GU clinic is the only government-sponsored way to test for sexual diseases, it is currently understaffed and under-resourced with a handful of staff catering for a population of 400,000, despite ministerial pledges to double its headcount last year.

Meanwhile, the sexual health policy that was supposed to be announced in March of last year is being once again redrafted because the research that it was based on was found to be around 12 years old, Health Minister Chris Fearne said.

The policy has still not been updated and leaves much to be desired.

What do you think about these free testing services?