STI cases surge in Gweru

THERE is a surge in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Gweru amid indications that 214 cases were recorded in November last year.

The worrying trend in STI cases comes at a time when the National Aids Council (NAC) has said that 14,4 percent of the Gweru population is living with HIV.

Gweru urban district has a population of 283 004 comprising 121 712 males and 161 292 females.

There has been a slight increase in the prevalence from 13,3 percent in the previous estimates to 14,4 percent in 2023 estimates.

Responding to questions from councillors during a recent full council meeting, Gweru city health director, Mr Sam Sekenhamo said drug and substance abuse is the leading cause of the surge in STIs especially among young adults.

He said consumption of illegal drugs like crystal meth/mutoriro is contributing to risky sexual behaviour, particularly among the younger generation.

“Yes, there appears to be a surge in STIs in Gweru. Of the 214 cases recorded in November last year, 128 cases were among females and 86 among males. This was an increase from 138 cases reported in October last year,” said Mr Sekenhamo.

He said another contributory factor to the increase in STIs is group sexual activities due to peer pressure among the young adults.

“The rise in these infections is very worrisome, especially among the younger generation. High incidence of illicit drug use by young adults and its strong association with STI incidence warrant special attention,” said Mr Sekenhamo.

“We have noticed that these children are engaging in promiscuous behaviour due to the high usage of drugs. As a result, STIs are on the rise because of drug and substance abuse. Tailored preventive measures should be focused on key predictors.”

Mr Sekenhamo said what was also disturbing was that some females were more worried about getting pregnant than contracting either STIs or HIV.

“We have noted that there is more uptake of emergency contraception (morning-after pills) which are used to prevent pregnancy for women who would have engaged in unprotected sex. They are not worried about unprotected sex because after that they take the morning-after pills forgetting that they are at risk of contracting STI and HIV,” he said.

Mr Sekenhamo said despite the availability of condoms, their usage remains low among individuals aged between 18-24 years.

“There is also a need to preach the importance of prevention in curbing the spread of STIs. The sexually active people must consistently use protection during sexual activity, limiting the number of sexual partners, and seeking proper diagnosis are vital measures to control the transmission of STIs,” he said.

STIs are spread predominantly by unprotected sexual contact. Some STIs can also be transmitted during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding and through infected blood or blood products.

Eight pathogens are linked to the greatest incidence of STIs. Of these, four are currently curable and these include syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis.

The other four are incurable viral infections which are hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus (HSV), HIV and human papillomavirus (HPV).