News / Health
STIs more prevalent in women - Report
23 Jun 2013 at 05:33hrs | Views
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) are more prevalent in women because the structure of their reproductive organs puts them at a higher risk than their male counterparts, a report by the National Aids Council reveals.
The recently released report also shows that the number of new STI cases being reported among women continues to rise while the opposite is true for males.
A total of 42 410 new infections among women were reported during the first quarter of this year as compared to the 38 529 cases recorded during the last quarter of 2012.
In contrast new cases of STIs in men have declined from 29 485 to 24 993 over the same period.
NAC monitoring and evaluation director, Mr Amon Mpofu explained that the physical make-up of females puts them at a disadvantage.
"The environment in a female's reproductive system has a wider surface of transmission compared to that of a man therefore if a woman practices unsafe sex with an infected partner, she can easily contract infections.
"During intercourse, a lot of male fluids are disposed inside the female's reproductive trek which prolongs the period of transmission whereas males can only contract during the process," he said.
Mr Mpofu noted that the female reproductive system also creates a conducive environment for bacterial and infection growth.
"Females are also disadvantaged during their menstruation cycles because their immune levels will very low and unable to fight against infections," he said.
However, Mr Mpofu highlighted that males are reluctant to seek treatment for STI, a development that means that some cases go unrecorded.
"Males' behaviour towards treatment is very passive compared to women thus a few cases of STIs are recorded from men as they do not come for treatment," he said.
The report also noted an increase in the number of STI re-infections.
"There was an increase in the number of clients treated for repeat STIs from 10 654 treated in the last quarter to 11 537 treated in this quarter.
"In males the repeat cases have increased to 4 838 in the first quarter from 4 524 in the prior quarter and in females to 7 287 from 4 838.
"The rate at which STIs are spreading is translated to 22 new cases of STIs being treated per 1 000 sexually active people between the age of 15 and 49," said the report.
Some of the common STI's in Zimbabwe include urethral and vaginal discharge, genital ulcers, syphilis, pelvic inflammatory disease, buboes without ulcers and genital warts.
Meanwhile, Government in partnership with NAC is working on a programme aimed at introducing new antibiotics amid reports of drug resistant STI's.
The recently released report also shows that the number of new STI cases being reported among women continues to rise while the opposite is true for males.
A total of 42 410 new infections among women were reported during the first quarter of this year as compared to the 38 529 cases recorded during the last quarter of 2012.
In contrast new cases of STIs in men have declined from 29 485 to 24 993 over the same period.
NAC monitoring and evaluation director, Mr Amon Mpofu explained that the physical make-up of females puts them at a disadvantage.
"The environment in a female's reproductive system has a wider surface of transmission compared to that of a man therefore if a woman practices unsafe sex with an infected partner, she can easily contract infections.
"During intercourse, a lot of male fluids are disposed inside the female's reproductive trek which prolongs the period of transmission whereas males can only contract during the process," he said.
Mr Mpofu noted that the female reproductive system also creates a conducive environment for bacterial and infection growth.
However, Mr Mpofu highlighted that males are reluctant to seek treatment for STI, a development that means that some cases go unrecorded.
"Males' behaviour towards treatment is very passive compared to women thus a few cases of STIs are recorded from men as they do not come for treatment," he said.
The report also noted an increase in the number of STI re-infections.
"There was an increase in the number of clients treated for repeat STIs from 10 654 treated in the last quarter to 11 537 treated in this quarter.
"In males the repeat cases have increased to 4 838 in the first quarter from 4 524 in the prior quarter and in females to 7 287 from 4 838.
"The rate at which STIs are spreading is translated to 22 new cases of STIs being treated per 1 000 sexually active people between the age of 15 and 49," said the report.
Some of the common STI's in Zimbabwe include urethral and vaginal discharge, genital ulcers, syphilis, pelvic inflammatory disease, buboes without ulcers and genital warts.
Meanwhile, Government in partnership with NAC is working on a programme aimed at introducing new antibiotics amid reports of drug resistant STI's.
Source - Sunday Mail
