A rise in sexually transmitted diseases has been noted among the African population. Failure to implement appropriate strategies would further aggravate the issue in Africa at hand. The World Health Organization reports more on the epidemic and has been suggesting further action for the last two decades. Still, challenges are being faced which makes prevention strategies less effective.
The current State Of STDs In Africa
The World Health Organization reports over 30 million cases where patients were diagnosed with trichomoniasis in 1998. The same year, over 3.5 million people had syphilis and about 15 million were diagnosed with chlamydia. The data presented here only account for the Sub-Saharan African region.
Due to the rise of STDs in African regions, the World Health Organization has demanded appropriate action to be taken. Unfortunately, there is still a major concern for the prevalence of STDs in the country. The WHO later reported further worries related to the STD rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Syphilis and Gonorrhea are reported to be among the major concerns when looking at the prevalence of STDs in the country.
Actions To Be Taken Against The Rising Prevalence Of STDs
The continued increase in the prevalence of common STDs requires appropriate action to be taken. There are several prevention strategies that need to be implemented not only in Sub-Saharan Africa but also in other regions of Africa where there is a high prevalence of these sexually transmitted infections.
Patients are urged to undergo frequent testing if they are sexually active. By recognizing STIs early on, there is a bigger opportunity for reducing the risk of the person spreading it to their sexual partners. Early treatment can also be initiated, which could yield more effective results.
Even home testing kits are now available, which allows people to know if they have been infected by one of these diseases without the need to visit a doctor’s office.
The African population needs more education on ways to prevent the spreading of STDs too. The population should be made aware of the benefits that come with using a condom and other safer sex habits. This can help to reduce the risk of new infections.
Even when a cure is available, people still need to ensure they practice safer sex. Treating gonorrhea with antibiotics is currently a challenge, for example. More-and-more people are presenting with resistance to these antibiotics, making current treatment options less effective. This also greatly increases the risk that the patient will experience serious side-effects and complications.
Gonorrhea, syphilis, and several other STDs have a high prevalence in African regions. The World Health Organization urges the population to take appropriate action. Practicing safe sex is crucial, along with obtaining frequent testing for common sexually transmitted infections. This would allow the infected individuals to take appropriate action; thus reducing the risk that they would continue spreading the diseases and contributing to the rising prevalence of STIs in Africa.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12348788
https://www.voanews.com/africa/who-reports-increase-stds-sub-saharan-africa