Untreated STIs serve as catalyst for contracting HIV – Dr Ayisi Addo
Dr Stephen Ayisi Addo, the National AIDS/STI Control Programme Manager, has advised the public to seek immediate medical treatment for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
He said failure to do so could expose them to other infections, including HIV.
Dr Ayisi Addo gave the advice at the Ghana News Agency’s weekly health promotion programme dubbed “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility! and organised by its Tema Regional Office.
He said research had revealed that the annual HIV prevalence rate among people with STIs was remarkable hence failure to treat these infections served as a trigger for HIV infection.
Dr Ayisi Addo consequently recommended to the public to seek medical assistance quickly to cure STIs such as syphilis and gonorrhea, stressing that both parties must get and complete the therapy.
He mentioned some STI symptoms such as abnormal vaginal or penile discharge, blisters and swellings at the genitals, ulcers, and extreme discomfort during urination or sexual intercourse.
“We are not seeing an increase in condom use; this is leading to an increase in STIs and their subsequent result in HIV contraction,” he stated.
He stressed that most young people rather resorted to taking emergency contraception after having unprotected sex and warned that the intervention did not prevent HIV and STIs, thus condom use was recommended for protection.
Dr Ayisi Addo expressed concern over the increased rate of HIV infections among the youth and called for renewed stakeholder efforts to address the problem.
He also advocated women’s empowerment to make them less susceptible and protected, saying, “We need to protect the young people in order to secure our future as a country”.
He explained that women were most vulnerable to having infections as rape and defilement were high-risk activities through which females could be injured during the struggle.
Source: GNA