adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
MANGWE District recorded an increase in the number of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year.According to a report presented by National Aids Council District Aids Co-ordinator Mr Lincolyn Ncube at a Nac quarterly meeting on Friday, the district recorded 415 cases in the second quarter compared to 327 during the same period last year.
He said the increase was a cause for concern as the district’s STI cases had been on a downward trend.
“We had been realising a decline in new cases of STI infections. In the first quarter of this year we recorded 327 cases compared to 354 during the same period last year.
“This time around the cases increased from 327 to 415. This is a cause for concern considering that STIs and HIV are closely related meaning that infections are still rampant within the area despite the educational campaigns urging people to get tested and use protection such as condoms when having sex,” said Mr Ncube.
He said most STI infections were recorded among females.
“Of the 415 cases that we recorded, 248 were females while 167 were men. In the previous quarter females were 177 while males were 150.
“Females have always accounted for a bigger number of STI infections because many men were reluctant to seek treatment and yet most infections within households are caused by men,” said Mr Ncube.
He said repeat cases had dropped from 108 recorded in the first quarter to 105.
Mr Ncube said the district had recorded a decline in cases of HIV infections.
“We had 2 140 people coming for testing and 333 tested positive. This is an improvement from the previous quarter where 464 people tested positive out of 2 145 that came for testing,” he said.
Speaking at the same meeting, an official from the Zimbabwe National Network for People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) said some patients in the district were defaulting on treatment because clinics were too far.
“Long distances to health centres are making it difficult for patients to adhere to their treatment which puts them at risk,” said the official.
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