A MUN researcher has received a grant of nearly $2 million towards her work in improving access to sexual health services in the province.

Dr. Debbie Kelly, a professor at Memorial University’s School of Pharmacy, is developing new ways for Canadians to access sexual health services by formalizing a pharmacy-based sexual health service model capable of granting easy access for testing for sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections.

Kelly says infections like HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis are on the rise, but the health care system has limited capacity to meet the demand.

They’re seeing an increasing number of women becoming infected with syphilis.

The model will make prevention and treatment medications available through their local pharmacy, something that is being called meaningful change.