WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s Wellington Sexual Health has partnered with London-based sexual health services platform SXT Health to test a new, anonymized STI contact-tracing service.
“Quick contact tracing is one of the most important ways to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections,” explained local medical news site New Zealand Doctor. “From this month, SXT provides an easy, anonymous way to inform sexual contacts of STI (sexually transmitted infection) risk via text message or email.”
Bronwen Warren, GM Clinical Services for Tu Ora Compass Health PHO, told New Zealand Doctor that local syphilis and gonorrhea rates have significantly increased over the last two years.
“By trialling the technology,” Warren explained, “we’re aiming to increase opportunities for patients and their sexual contacts to access care, be treated early and to slow the spread of these infections.”
“This is the first sexual health digital contact tracing service for New Zealand,” she added.
The SXT service was introduced first in the U.K. All phone numbers and email addresses are encrypted by SXT until reminders are sent, and then they are permanently deleted.
“Demystifying and destigmatizing STIs are important ways in which we can move towards stopping the spread of these infections,” New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) Chief Executive Dr. Jason Myers told New Zealand Doctor. “If finding out you need to get a test can be as simple as a notification, we can start to break down those barriers of shame and awkwardness that have been placed on STIs.”
SXT was founded in 2009 by Dr Anatole Menon-Johansson, a clinical lead for sexual health at London’s Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital.
