Promoting consistent condom use and talking more openly about STIs can help, the boss of Europe’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says.
As the rate of STI's rise in Europe, countries are making efforts in order to prioritize sexual education | Stephane de Sakutin/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
MARCH 7, 2024
BY PIERRE EMMANUEL NGENDAKUMANA
Sexually transmitted infections are on the up.
STIs surged in Europe in 2022, with gonorrhoea cases rising by 48 percent compared to the previous year, syphilis cases by 34 percent and chlamydia cases by 16 percent, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in its latest annual data reports.
“We must prioritize sexual health education, expand access to testing and treatment services, and combat the stigma associated with STIs. Education and awareness initiatives are vital in empowering individuals to make informed choices about their sexual health,” said ECDC Director Andrea Ammon.
Promoting consistent condom use and talking more openly about STIs can help reduce transmission rates, she said.
Some countries have already introduced new measures to combat the rise.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced at the end of 2022 that, starting in January 2023, the government would make condoms free for 18 to 25 year olds in a bid to boost sexual health.
“We’re not very good on this subject,” he said at the time, referring to sexual education. “The reality is very, very different from the theory.”
According to the World Health Organization last year, more than 1 million sexually transmitted infections are acquired every day worldwide.
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