The attitude “Nothing can happen to me” is not correct, the latest statistics on the number of people suffering from sexually transmitted diseases in Srpska show.
Namely, this number is alarming high leveland as experts say, the reason lies in increasingly freer sexual behavior, frequent changing of partners, which has also led to the return of endemic diseases such as syphilis and an increase in the number of HIV patients.
Data from the Institute for Public Health of the Republika Srpska show that last year it was recorded 46 cases of chlamydia infection, 11 cases of syphilis, one case of gonococcal infection and 18 cases of HIV/AIDS.
Aleksandra Govedarovića specialist in gynecology and obstetrics, told “Nezavisne” that the number of patients in reality significantly higherbecause patients often do swabs in private surgeries.
According to Govedarović, the reason for the increasing transmissibility of sexually transmitted diseases is generally freer sexual behavior.
“We often have cases where women who are in monogamous marriages have a sexually transmitted disease,” she points out, adding that the situation is additionally problematic because women do not even know that something has been passed on to them.
In this regard, he points out the fact that these diseases often they show no symptoms or show symptoms very late.
The high number of people suffering from HIV, or AIDS, is also alarming, and as the Institute told “Nezavisne”, the number of people suffering here is, unfortunately, on the rise.
“There has been an increase in reported cases of chlamydia infections, as well as an increase in the reported number of people with HIV/AIDS over the last two years,” they said from the Institute.
According to Govedarović, BiH was a country with a low HIV rate for a long time, which unfortunately is no longer the case.
The reason is more or less the same, but she emphasized the close correlation of other sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. Namely, as she explained, HIV is not transmitted “so easily”, but it is a problem when a person has some other sexually transmitted disease that has not been cured.
As for the risk groups, they are persons of homosexual orientation who often change partners.
Furthermore, as he says, people are not aware that sexually transmitted diseases are one of the most common causes of sterility in couples.
“One in three couples has a problem with infertility as a result of long-term sexually transmitted diseases”, says Govedarović.
In addition to adequate protection, of course, Govedarović emphasizes monogamous relationships where the partner must know that the other is not infected.
When we talk about sexually transmitted diseases, we must also mention one of the most common, which is infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), for which the HPV vaccine was introduced and recommended, considering that some high-risk types of this virus are associated with the development of cervical cancer. .
“We are already the country with the highest incidence of cervical cancer in Europe, and if we don’t do something, we will remain so,” said Govedarović.
In this regard, he underlines the importance of educating young people, which must begin at the age of 15 to 16, because young people are becoming sexually active earlier, but the problem is also the poor education of the elderly.
The Institute points out that it is necessary to work on continuous raising and renewal of awareness.
The Institute makes this possible through its activities, through informing citizens, and marking international days, such as February 12, World Sexual and Reproductive Awareness Day.