The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised alarm over the setbacks in the fight against sexually transmitted diseases.
Syphilis is a bacterial infection spread by sexual contact that starts as a painless sore. It develops in stages and symptoms vary with each stage.
The first stage involves a painless sore on the genitals, rectum or mouth. After the initial sore heals, the second stage is characterised by a rash.
The UN organisation reported in Geneva, that the annual number of new syphilis infections rose from around 7.1 million in 2020 to eight million in 2022.
The WHO said that the largest increases were recorded on the American continent and in Africa, while, 230,000 people died from the bacterial disease in 2022.
“The rising incidence of syphilis raises major concerns,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
According to his organisation’s report, over one million people are infected with syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia or trichomoniasis every day.
These four sexually transmitted diseases are all curable.
lFrom the WHO’s perspective, new HIV infections are also falling too slowly: In 2022 there were 1.3 million, only 200,000 fewer than in 2020.
On the other hand, the WHO reported positive progress: Around three-quarters of all people with HIV are being treated with antiretroviral drugs.
According to the report, many countries have already developed health strategies to prevent the transmission of HIV and syphilis from mothers to their children.
dpa/NAN
