Know your STATUS

South Africa is fast trying to combat the spread of sexually transmitted infections, especially among vulnerable young women, writes Craig Bishop

- Craig Bishop

TECH-SAVVY YOUNGSTERS are using social media platforms to dive straight into a “hook-up” culture, and this is driving the opportunistic spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

That is the sobering warning from a range of public health experts, who urge anyone who is pregnant or thinking about starting a family, to get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). You might think that you’re not infected, but these opportunistic diseases can often lie dormant in your body for years, according to medical experts.

ONLINE DATING IS PART OF THE PROBLEM

According to one article from online news site VOX, health experts increasingly view Apps and sites such as Tinder, Grindr, and OkCupid as “enablers of high-risk sex, helping people meet and hook up more efficiently than ever before. The impact of these sites is so profound they’re also transforming the way health officials track and prevent outbreaks”.

Moreover, although you might dismiss concerns about STIs because they can be treated with antibiotics, many people are unaware that having an STI increases the likelihood that you’ll develop HIV too.

A SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

ST Is are a serious public health issue. Worldwide, around a million people are diagnosed with gonorrhoea, chlamydia or syphilis every day. South Africa has one of the highest rates of STIs in the world. And the statistics for young people, aged between 18 to 24 are alarming, especially in rural areas, according to figures from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).