NYC cuts free STD testing

According to the health information website Avert.com, there are over 100,00 people living with HIV in New York City and over 80,000 people living with AIDs. These numbers are higher than almost any other state in the U.S., suggesting that sexual heath needs to be an important topic of conversation among NYC politicians and healthcare providers.

The New York Daily News reports that the city's Department of Health cut services to its 10 clinics, and will now now longer offer free sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing. The news provider reports that this could potentially cause serious problems across the city, especially since STD rates continue to rise in the area.

The department said that free rapid HIV testing will still be available, but the Daily News quoted healthcare officials that say that won't be enough.

"It's definitely a step backwards in terms of our diagnosis and treatment of STDs," said David Collymore, M.D., the chief medical officer at the Claremont Family Health Center, quoted by the news source. "If we're not testing as many people, we might not see an increase in the numbers but there will be an increase [in those contracting STDs]," he said.