How to help stop STIs in your community

This content is from page 337 of A Book for Midwives

Here are some ideas to help prevent the spread of STIs in your community:

Talk about STIs with the people you care for. Some people may feel embarrassed to talk about them, but knowing more may save their lives.
During prenatal checkups, ask women about unusual discharge or sores on the genitals, or offer to examine them for signs of STIs.
Organize a group to talk about health topics, including STIs and HIV.

I want my daughters to be safe — but I don’t know what to say. My mother never talked to me about this.

I know what you mean. Can we think of ways to explain this to them?

Support education about sex in your local school. Help parents understand that teaching about STIs, including HIV, helps young people make safer choices later on when they start having sex.
Talk about condoms with men and help them understand the risks of STIs, including the risks to pregnant women and their babies.
Find out from your local medical center, hospital, or Ministry of Health what STIs are the most common in your community.
Find out what medicines to treat STIs work best in your area — and find out what they cost. Learn how to treat STIs, or help women find treatment.
Start a community pharmacy so that it will be easier for people to get medicines and condoms.

This page was updated:28 Aug 2024

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