10-yr-olds in STI shocker

Shamiso Yikoniko
Some 2 692 people aged 10 to 19-years-old were treated for sexually transmitted infections between January and March 2015, with the 20-24 age group accounting for 10 254 cases. In 2014, 1 500 cases involving 10 to 19-year-olds were recorded in the same quarter, and the cumulative figure had hit 6 070 by year-end.

This increase is mainly attributed to inter-generational relationships, sexual abuse, nude parties, low-risk perception, failure to negotiate protected sex and peer pressure.

Genital ulcers that could lead to herpes and syphilis, pelvic inflammation, urethral discharge associated with gonorrhoea, and vaginal discharge top the list of common STIs.

The National Aids Council’s 2015 first quarter report indicates that an increasing number of young people are exposed to unprotected intercourse. It also shows that the 25-49 age group contributed the highest number of patients (30 964) followed by 20 to 24-year-olds, and then adolescents and teenagers.

Though the report does not provide geographical distribution by age group, Harare accounts for the highest incidence at 10 135 cases with Masvingo in second position at 8 166.

NAC monitoring and evaluation director Mr Amon Mpofu told The Sunday Mail, “The continued high incidence of STIs among adolescents and young adults is worrying. It’s not a good indicator to see STI cases increasing. It shows that we are sitting on a time-bomb and we could expect to see an increase in new HIV cases.

“People infected with STIS are at least two to five times more likely to contract HIV if they are exposed to it through sexual contact. In addition, if an HIV-infected individual is also infected with another STI, such a person is more likely to transmit HIV through sexual contact than other HIV-infected persons.”

The Health and Child Care Ministry’s Aids and TB Unit director Dr Owen Mugurungi said: “A number of adolescents are indulging in unprotected sex in intergenerational relationships where they lack the power and skills to negotiate safe sex.

“And also what we have discovered is that teenagers really relish freedom while at college. Their parents/guardians won’t be there to watch over them, thus they do as they please. More education on the dangers of unprotected sex are required and all stakeholders should be involved.”

Southern African HIV and Aids Information Dissemination Service head of media, marketing and public relations Mrs Tariro Makanga-Chikumbirike said many young girls seem only afraid of falling pregnant.

“From dialogues we’ve had with young people, it is evident that they are using family planning methods other than condoms that also protect them from STIs. Risk perception among young people also keeps going down. Peer pressure, nude parties and intergenerational relationships are also contributing a lot.

“We can never give young people enough information, hence there is need to engage them on STI prevention. We also have to make it a must to re-engineer our prevention interventions.”

Zimbabwe is one of the few African countries to score successes in fighting HIV and Aids following adoption of various interventions like the Aids Levy and robust early detection and treatment programmes.

However, this success could easily be reversed by surges in STI cases. The country’s HIV prevalence rate is 15 percent.