ALBANY, N.Y (April 16, 2025) – The New York State Department of Health recognizes nationalSexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Awareness Week, April 13-19 STI Awareness Week focuses on the impact STIs have on people’s lives, reducing STI-related stigma, fear and discrimination by raising awareness, promoting prevention strategies to stop the spread of STIs, encouraging individuals to be proactive about their sexual health, promoting treatment and providing educational programming “Sexually transmitted infections sometimes do not manifest symptoms, therefore regular screening is helpful,”State Health Commissioner Dr James McDonald said “During Sexually Transmitted Infection Awareness Week, and all year round, I encourage people to talk to their sexual partners, find the right sexual health tools that work for them, and get regular sexually transmitted infection screening and treatment if and when needed The Department will continue to raise awareness and provide resources and education to stop the stigma surrounding STIs and protect and promote health equity for all.” There are resources available to support individuals’ sexual health, including ways to prevent or treat STIs, such as diagnostic tests, adequate treatment, vaccines and pre- and post-exposure medications like Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis and Expedited Partner Treatment (EPT) Medicaid and most insurance plans cover the cost of STI services Importantly, Medicaid plays a crucial role in ensuring individuals have access to comprehensive reproductive health care, supporting their overall well-being The State Department of Health is proud to unveil its newSTI Data Dashboard, a cutting-edge tool designed to enhance transparency and empower communities in the fight against sexually transmitted infections By providing up-to-date, interactive data, this dashboard enables health care providers, policymakers and the public to better understand STI trends and take informed actions to improve public health outcomes Additionally, in February, the Department released a first-in-the-nationNew York State Congenital Syphilis Elimination Frameworkto provide recommendations for New York State to eliminate congenital syphilis According to the latest New York StateSTI surveillance report, in 2023 the highest rates of STIs continued to be seen among young people, non-Hispanic Black individuals and men who have sex with men Additionally, with the rise in congenital syphilis births, people who give birth are a population of concern with respect to STIs Primary and secondary syphilis diagnoses (the most infectious stages of syphilis) decreased by 20 percent in 2023 compared to 2022 after five consecutive years of increase, according to the surveillance report Diagnoses among males accounted for 85 percent of primary and secondary syphilis diagnoses, with 74 percent of that group identifying as men who have sex with men In 2023, rates of primary and secondary syphilis among females (4.5 per 100,000) increased 800 percent compared to 2014 rates (0.5 per 100,000) Congenital syphilis remains a significant and critical concern and has continued to increase both nationally and in New York State Congenital syphilis, which is entirely preventable, is a result of untreated syphilis infection that is transmitted in utero during pregnancy or during vaginal delivery In 2023, 68 diagnoses of congenital syphilis were reported statewide, a 33-percent increase from the prior year and a 152-percent increase over the last five years Though 2024 data are preliminary, the number of congenital syphilis cases reported exceeded the 2023 counts Individuals who are pregnant with untreated syphilis (regardless of disease stage) may transmit the disease to the unborn child, which could result in infant death, physical deformities or brain and nerve problems such as blindness or deafness of the child Penicillin is the first-choice treatment for every stage of syphilis and usually cures the disease Without adequate treatment syphilis can cause blindness, threaten the bones and heart, lead to permanent mental illness and paralysis and even lead to loss of life Source: NewsDay.com All Zim News is a central hub for all things Zimbabwean, curating news from across the country so no story is missed Alongside aggregation, our team of nationwide reporters provides real-time, on-the-ground coverage Stay informed and connected — reach us at admin@allzimnews.com. Source: Newsday_Com
