Wednesday 5 February 2020

The British HIV Association (BHIVA) echoes the call for urgent action on sexual health from the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) in State of the Nation, a report which highlights the emerging crisis in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK, published 5 February 2020.

Cuts in funding and the lack of an effective strategy for sexual health have contributed to critical rises in the incidence of STIs, including syphilis and gonorrhoea, with the latter having increased by 250% in the past 10 years. Worryingly, evidence shows drug-resistance is now threatening the effective treatment of gonorrhoea and a number of other STIs.

Comments BHIVA Chair, Dr Laura Waters:
"Sexual health must be prioritised and funded effectively or we risk failing a generation. Advances in HIV medicine mean that we now have effective treatment and prevention options but this should not be in isolation from other STIs. Meeting demand for STI appointments, testing and treatment is a huge challenge throughout the sexual health sector. Back in 2001 a national sexual health strategy transformed access to sexual health but inexorable cuts mean the next strategy must be rolled out soon with the funding to fulfil its promises."

A link to the State of the Nation report from THT and BASHH is available on the THT website here: https://www.tht.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/State of The nation Report.pdf

For further information, please contact Jo Josh on +44 (0) 7787 530922 or [email protected]