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Photo courtesy EverythingGP Staff
By Erika Rolling
Health and Safety

Northreach extends hours for testing and harm reduction supplies

Jun 9, 2023 | 12:52 PM

At the end of May, Northreach Society says they expanded their hours of operation so their services could become more accessible to those needing them.

Located at 9613 98 Street Grande Prairie, the society tests for syphilis, hepatitis C, HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea through their Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections testing and harm reduction supplies pick-up.

Their new hours are now:

  • 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Monday to Thursday
  • 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Friday

Northreach Healthcare Team Lead Lewis Guest says in Grande Prairie they have noticed an uptick in some STIs.

“We were finding we were having trouble reaching that after-hours work crowd because we were finishing up at 4:30 p.m. every day.”

“We usually can have people out within ten minutes, so it’s really easy now,” Guest says.

All services done in Grande Prairie are offered on-site, with urine and blood samples for STBBI testing, which is sent out to labs off-site.

“All of our services here are free and totally confidential. It’s a safe, non-judgmental environment, so we really encourage anybody who has any concerns or just wants to take routine care of their health to come.”

If results come back positive, clients are called to come back in person to chat and discover options for treatment.

Guest says they offer treatments for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea on-site, but for others, they have to refer to higher levels of care for blood-borne infections.

Testing is highly recommended for people with new or multiple sexual partners.

“If they are not engaging in safe, protected sex we encourage people to come every three months, just so that they can empower themselves to take care of their own health. We wanna be a part of that with them.”

Those in monogamous relationships are still encouraged to get tested annually.

Northreach says “getting tested not only protects your health but also contributes to the well-being of the entire community.”

by Erika Rolling