Six regional offices for the Mississippi State Department of Health are set to close at the end of this month.

The department will operate out of three regional offices in Tupelo, Jackson and Biloxi, while county clinics remain in operation, according to a MSDH release.

MSDH said in the release that the cuts will greatly reduce administrative costs, without affecting services to the public.

However, the MSDH announced last week that it would no longer provide free STD and HIV testing to all state residents.

“By closing two-thirds of our district offices, we’re immediately saving $1.5 million in administrative overhead,” MSDH State Health Officer Dr. Mary Currier said in the release.

Currier also said in the release that MSDH realigned federal funds to support clinic and district operations to prevent layoffs in county clinics.

According to the release, the supervision of many county level programs, including immunizations, tuberculosis control, epidemiology, disease intervention and emergency preparedness, will be centralized.

“Adapting to changes in budget and revenue has been a fluid process. We are continually working hard to determine where more cuts can be made, if needed…,” Currier said in the release. “We are now and always will be committed to protecting and promoting the health of all Mississippians.”