Amber Esparza
Managing Editor
The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and Texas A&M University-San Antonio will provide free testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Testing will take place in a mobile clinic that will be stationed in the bus lane of Lot 2 from 9 a.m.-noon Thursday, Feb. 9.
Raul Nandin, a health program specialist for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District said testing will include a blood draw for syphilis and HIV.
Patients will also be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Depending on their gender and sexual identity, patients will be asked to provide a urine sample or an oral, rectal or vaginal swab.
Nandin said the patient intake and testing process usually takes about 10-20 minutes.
After being tested, patients will receive a card with the date and phone number to call to find out their results.
If a patient tests positive for an STD or HIV, they will be contacted by someone from the SAMHD clinic and receive the necessary treatment for their diagnosis for free.
While it’s not required to receive testing, patients are recommended to have a state-issued identification for intake reasons.
The mobile clinic will return to A&M-San Antonio’s campus March 9 and April 13 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and will be stationed in the bus lane of Lot 2 near the auditorium.
For more information about the SAMHD STD and HIV clinics, visit the Metro Health STD/HIV page here.
Testing is free and open to anyone in the community.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 12:53 p.m. on Feb. 10, 2023, to reflect that the mobile clinic checks and treats sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), not sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
