Preventing sexually transmitted infection globally

Despite decades of advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment worldwide, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a major public health burden and eradication elusive.1 New cases of four curable STIs—chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis—together reach over 374 million annually.2 Africa accounts for nearly 18% of all global STI infections, with around 93 million new cases annually, positioning the region as a priority for global health interventions.3

Although progress has been made in expanding access to HIV testing and treatment, hepatitis C therapies, and vaccination programmes, the global response is currently off-track to meet the 2030 targets for reducing new infections and related mortality for gonorrhoea (90% reduction in incidence), congenital syphilis (50 cases/100 000 live births in 80% of countries), and HPV vaccination (90% coverage nationally).3 Barriers to preventive, curative, and supportive measures are deeply rooted in restrictive laws and policies, inadequate comprehensive sexuality education, weak surveillance, and fragmented service delivery, all of which contribute to the burden of sexually transmitted diseases and impact the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of affected …