Million STI cases annually
BY ZACHERY PER
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that Papua New Guinea generates over one million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) every year.
This was revealed by country programme director of Save the Children Fund Manish Jain in Goroka yesterday.
Mr Jain said the high prevalence of curable STIs in both urban and rural settings are among the highest in the world.
According to a report released by the National AIDS Council, people with STIs are 40% more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.
Mr Jain added that where STIs are common in the communities, HIV/AIDS is transmitted and spreads much more easily and quickly.
“So by preventing and treating common curable STIs such as gonorrhea or syphilis, we can help control HIV/AIDS too,” he said.
Mr Jain said a study conducted by PNG Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR) with one group of highly vulnerable women in Eastern Highlands province showed an incidence of 21%, 19%, 24% and 51% for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and trichomoniasis, respectively.
The study was conducted among the high- risk category of people.
Mr Jain said 74%of the people were positive for at least one STI and 43% had multiple STIs.
“Yet, STI services are seeing no more than 1% of these cases at the national level,” he said.
Mr Jain welcomed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed yesterday with the Eastern Highlands provincial government to jointly implement its STI clinic improvement programme.
The MoU will strengthen partnership with Government services to improve the prevention and management of common STIs among young people and vulnerable groups, he said.
The programme is carried out under the AusAID PNG-Australia sexual health improvement programme which strongly focuses on HIV/AIDS and STI prevention.
Mr Jain signed the MoU with Eastern Highlands provincial administrator Munare Uyassi.
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