Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to cause high rates of infection worldwide. According to global estimates, more than 1 million curable STIs are acquired worldwide each day, mainly caused by gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and trichomonas infections. In addition, emerging outbreaks of new sexually acquired infections such as Monkeypox, Shigella sonnei, Neisseria meningitidis, Ebola and Zika, as well as the re-emergence of neglected STIs such as lymphogranuloma venereum, herald increasing challenges in provision of adequate nutrition. STI prevention and control services.
When left untreated, certain STIs can lead to irreversible long-term outcomes, including chronic pelvic pain, cancers, infertility, adverse pregnancies, and congenital complications, some of which can be life-threatening.
The 75th World Health Assembly in May 2022 agreed to implement the new global health sector strategies on, respectively, HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections for the period 2022-2030 (GHSS ). The new strategies propose a common vision to end the AIDS and viral hepatitis and STI epidemics by 2030.
For STIs, the GHSS set ambitious targets to:
- reduce new cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis;
- reduce new cases of congenital syphilis;
- increase the percentage of girls fully vaccinated with the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine at age 15;
- increase the percentage of syphilis screening among priority populations and pregnant women, increase the percentage of gonorrhea screening among priority populations;
- increase the percentage of women screened for cervical cancer; i
- increase the number of countries reporting antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae to the WHO Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme.
To achieve this, GHSS recommends providing high-quality, evidence-based, person-centred STI services across the STI care cascade; generate ITS data; involve communities and civil society; and drive innovations for STI prevention diagnosis, testing and treatment.
Given this, the global response to STIs must undergo a series of strategic and operational changes:
- create an environment that encourages people to discuss sexually transmitted infections, adopt safer sex practices and seek treatment;
- expand primary prevention;
- expand the integration of sexually transmitted infection services;
- increasing the accessibility of people-centred services;
- closing funding gaps; 6. facilitating the adoption of diagnostics at the point of care and new technologies; i
- invest in research.
WHO will lead a multi-sectoral coalition of partners, advocates and affected communities to increase and sustain commitment to end STI epidemics. WHO will lead the development of evidence-based norms and standards and promote the use of updated guidelines, tools and service delivery approaches by all countries. WHO will continue to provide technical support to countries to implement their national responses to STIs and lead the global STI research agenda.