The global HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STI) epidemic continues to pose a major public health challenge, killing 2.5 million people each year, according to a new WHO report – HIV, Implementation of the Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2022-2030.
New data shows sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in many regions. In 2022, WHO member countries set an ambitious goal to reduce the annual number of adult syphilis infections tenfold by 2030, from 7.1 million to 710,000. However, the number of new syphilis cases among adults aged 15 to 49 increased by more than 1 million to reach 8 million in 2022. The highest increases were seen in the Americas and Africa regions.
Combined with insufficient reductions in new HIV infections and viral hepatitis infections, the report warns of threats to the achievement of relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. .
“The rising incidence of syphilis is causing great concern,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Fortunately, important advances have been made on many other fronts, including accelerating access to critical health goods, including diagnostics and treatments. We have the tools necessary to end this by 2030, but against the backdrop of an increasingly complex world, we need to ensure that countries do everything in their power to achieve the ambitious goals they have set for themselves. There is.”
Increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases
Four treatable sexually transmitted infections, syphilis (Treponema pallidum), gonorrhea (N. gonorrhoea), chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis), and trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis), cause more than 1 million infections each day. The report notes that adult and maternal syphilis (1.1 million cases) and related congenital syphilis (523 cases per 100,000 live births per year) have increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am doing it. In 2022, the number of syphilis-related deaths was 230,000.
New data also shows an increase in multidrug-resistant gonorrhea. As of 2023, of the 87 countries in which enhanced gonorrhea antimicrobial resistance surveillance has been conducted, 9 countries have shown increased levels of resistance (5% to 40%) to ceftriaxone, the final treatment for gonorrhea. reported. WHO is monitoring the situation and has updated treatment recommendations to reduce the spread of this multidrug-resistant gonorrhea strain.
In 2022, approximately 1.2 million new cases of hepatitis B and nearly 1 million new cases of hepatitis C were recorded. Despite the availability of effective prevention, diagnostic and treatment tools, the estimated number of deaths from viral hepatitis has increased from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022.
New HIV infections have only decreased from 1.5 million in 2020 to 1.3 million in 2022. Five key population groups continue to gain experience: men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers, transgender people, and people in prisons and other closed settings. . HIV infection rates are significantly higher than in the general population. An estimated 55% of new HIV infections occur among these populations and their partners. HIV-related deaths remain high. In 2022, there will be 630,000 HIV-related deaths, 13% of which were children under 15 years of age.
Benefit from expanded service access
Efforts by countries and partners to scale up sexually transmitted disease, HIV and hepatitis services are yielding significant results. WHO has verified the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in 19 countries, reflecting investments in guaranteed testing and treatment of these diseases in pregnant women. Botswana and Namibia are on the path to eliminating HIV, with Namibia being the first country to submit documentation to be assessed on the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.
Global HIV treatment coverage has reached 76%, with 93% of people treated achieving viral load suppression. Efforts to increase HPV vaccination and screening of HIV-infected women are ongoing. There has been some improvement in the scope of diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B and C worldwide.
Sustainability planning across three disease areas required
The report outlines the following recommendations to help countries strengthen their common approach to achieving the goals:
Conduct policy and financing dialogue to develop cross-sector investment cases and national sustainability plans; further integrate disease-specific guidance, planning and implementation support within primary health care approaches and coordinate; accelerate efforts to address ongoing criminalization, prejudice and prejudice; Discrimination within health settings, particularly against those most affected by HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections. Leverage lessons learned from the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission to scale up multi-disease elimination approaches and packages and strengthen the focus on primary prevention. , diagnosis and treatment across a range of diseases, especially to raise awareness of hepatitis and sexually transmitted diseases.
Ambitious targets set by Member States for 2025 and 2030 are helping to accelerate progress, but progress is patchy across disease areas. More political will and commitment is urgently needed to accelerate efforts, as many indicators remain off track towards achieving the global goals.
Note to editor
The report, which outlines progress in implementing the Global Health Sector Strategy on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) 2022-2030, will be discussed at the 77th World Health Assembly.
In 2022, the 75th World Health Assembly noted with appreciation the global health strategies for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) from 2022 to 2030. The strategy aims to achieve the goal of eliminating AIDS, viral hepatitis B and C and sexually transmitted diseases by 2030, as part of efforts towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The aim is to guide the health sector in implementing strategically focused responses. The strategy will foster synergies across disease areas under a universal health coverage framework and facilitate implementation under a primary health care approach.
