STI Prevention and Control Strategies

Strategies to Reduce the Burden of STIs

• Integrate STI services into other programs, such as HIV and hepatitis
• Adopt multiplex technologies for diagnosis, e.g., dual testing of HIV and Syphilis
• Promote prevention interventions to high-risk groups
• Mobilize resources for STI programs
• Advocate for policy changes at the highest level

Counselling and Individual Behavioural Approaches

• Consistent condom use for primary prevention against STIs and unintended pregnancies
• Sexuality education, STI and HIV pre- and post-test counselling
• Delay sexual debut/abstinence
• Safer sex/risk-reduction counselling for sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), drug injection users, and adolescents
• Recognize symptoms and healthcare seeking behaviour

STI/STD: True or False?

• Getting an STI from oral sex is possible
• Birth control does not protect against STIs
• You can get an STI again, even if you've had it before
• Having a virgin partner does not prevent STI transmission
• STIs are not limited to promiscuous or "trashy" people
• You can have two or more STIs at once
• You cannot get an STI from a toilet seat
• Women are not more likely to get tested for STIs
• Lesbians can get STIs
• Having an STI does not always show symptoms

Specific Measures for Delivery of Services

• Prioritize HIV and STI testing for adolescents and adults at higher risk of infection
• Encourage adolescents and adults to refer their sexual partners for testing and care
• Offer home-based HIV and other STI tests
• Establish clear pathways for further testing
• Use digital platforms and mobile health strategies to provide test results, treatment, and prevention messaging

Challenges and Root Causes of STIs

• Low socio-economic conditions
• Social stigma
• Gender inequalities
• Inability to access adequate health care systems and lack of preventative programs
• Slow policy adoption
• Lack of knowledge about sexual health
• Age restrictions
• Misconceptions among both educated and uneducated populations
• Socio-cultural factors
• Low perceived risk
• Service providers' attitude
• Cost and infrastructure reasons for not using condoms
• Weak Health Information System

Opportunities to Reduce the Burden of STIs

• Increase access and coverage to testing and treatment of STIs
• Align strategies with the WHO's Global Health Sector Strategy on STIs
• Emphasize the need for an integrated approach to STI prevention and control through securing universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services and rights