Global health sector strategy on sexually transmitted infections 2016–2021: implementation framework for the African Region

ABSTRACT

1. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are a highly endemic public health challenge in the AfricanRegion and worldwide. At global level, it is estimated that each year there are 357 million new cases of thefour major curable STIs among people aged 15–49 years chlamydia infection (131 million), gonorrhoea (78million), syphilis (6 million) and trichomoniasis (142 million). The prevalence of some viral STIs is similarlyhigh, with an estimated 417 million people infected with herpes simplex type 2, and approximately 291million women harbouring the human papillomavirus (HPV). The African Region is particularly affectedwith a high prevalence of these infections. The total number of new cases for these four curable STIs in theRegion was estimated at 63 million in 2012, representing 18% of the global incidence.2. These STIs have a profound impact on the health and lives of the population worldwide. This includesthe high risk of fetal and neonatal morbidity and deaths due to syphilis in pregnancy; the risk of cervicalcancer due to HPV infection; the risk of infertility mainly due to gonorrhoea and chlamydia infection, as wellas the facilitation of sexual transmission of HIV.3. In order to adequately respond to this high burden of disease and in line with the 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development, WHO has developed a global health sector strategy on STIs, 2016–2021. Theproposed strategy is based on achievements and lessons learnt from the previous global strategy, whichcovered the period 2006–2015. The development of the strategy followed a broad consultative processinvolving Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and other key partners such as donorand development agencies, civil society, nongovernmental organizations, scientific and technical institutionsand networks, and the private sector.4. he goal of the strategy is to end STI epidemics as major public health concerns. The strategy defines aset of priority actions to be undertaken by Member States, which are organized under five strategicdirections, namely information for focused action, interventions for impact, delivering for equity, financingfor sustainability and innovation for acceleration of the response.5. The proposed regional implementation framework provides programmatic and policy guidance toMember States to facilitate implementation of the global strategy. It describes actions and roles that MemberStates and partners should take to fast-track STI prevention and treatment interventions in the African Regiontowards ending the STI epidemic. The actions proposed include prioritizing STI prevention, expanding STItesting services using diversified approaches and scaling up treatment by adopting innovative servicedelivery models.6. The Regional Committee examined and adopted the proposed implementation framework.