The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a significant rise in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) worldwide, with the highest increases occurring in the Americas and Africa. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus revealed this alarming trend during a virtual media briefing on global health issues.
The rise in global HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continues to pose major public health challenges. Nigeria's National AIDS and STDs Control Program records approximately three million annual STI cases, mainly from chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas vaginalis, with women being particularly vulnerable to these infections.
New data show that syphilis cases among adults aged 15-49 increased by nearly one million in 2022, reaching a total of eight million, with 230,000 related deaths. The most significant increases were noted in the Americas and Africa. There is also a concerning rise in multi-resistant gonorrhea. Out of 87 countries with enhanced gonorrhea antimicrobial resistance surveillance, nine reported high resistance levels to the last line of treatment for gonorrhea.
In response, the WHO has updated its treatment guidelines to help curb the spread of resistant gonorrhea strains. Additional WHO data show that 1.1 million pregnant women were infected with syphilis in 2022, resulting in over 390,000 adverse birth outcomes. The threat of drug resistance remains a significant challenge in reducing the global burden of STIs.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Ghebreyesus highlighted progress in access to critical health commodities, diagnostics, and treatment. He stressed that with the right tools, it is possible to eliminate these epidemics as public health threats by 2030, but countries must intensify efforts to meet their health targets.
The WHO emphasized that condoms remain one of the most effective methods of protection against STIs, including HIV, when used correctly and consistently. However, condoms do not protect against STIs that cause extra-genital ulcers, such as syphilis or genital herpes.
Safe and highly effective vaccines are available for hepatitis B and HPV, marking significant advances in STI prevention. By the end of 2023, the HPV vaccine was part of routine immunization programs in 140 countries, primarily in high and upper-middle-income nations. To eliminate cervical cancer globally, high coverage of HPV vaccination, along with screening and treatment of precancerous lesions and cancer management, must be achieved and maintained by 2030.
