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Dr Mpitika calls for early treatment of sexually transmitted infections

18 May 2018

Untreated sexual infections can lead to the inflammation of fallopian tubes, block urethra and cause infertility, says Kanye District Health Management Team senior medical officer, Dr Dick Mpitika.

Speaking in an interview, Dr Mpitika said sexually transmitted infections should be treated well in time to avoid pelvic inflammatory disease.

Pelvic inflammatory disease, he said, was characterised by low abdominal pains, yellowish or brownish vaginal discharges in females and by urethral discharge in males.

He said the colour of the discharge depended on the type of bacteria that caused the infection.

Dr Mpitika listed vaginitis, known as vaginal discharge, as the most common sexually transmitted infection in the Kanye Sub-region.

He called for the consistent use of condoms and fidelity to partners to avoid transmission of infections and contacting HIV/AIDS.

Dr Mpitika pointed out that condoms, together with education on correct condom use, were dispensed free of charge at health facilities.

He encouraged Batswana to test for HIV so as to enroll in the Treat All Initiative before their CD4 count dropped.

Expectant mothers were also encouraged to know their status so that they could enroll in the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) in the event they were HIV positive.

“Generally PMTCT programme is doing well, especially that the main aim is to have fewer babies born with HIV.

We have hiccups here and there where mothers refuse to enroll in the programme, but less than one per cent enroll late and end up with HIV positive babies,” said Dr Mpitika.

He encouraged pregnant mothers to register as soon as possible so that all necessary arrangements could be made to ensure delivery of HIV-free babies.

Dr Mpitika said statistics indicated more women than men tested for HIV regularly, saying this led to the spread of HIV/AIDS as males continued to have sex without knowing their status.

Instead of testing, men went by their partners’ status, which he said, was detrimental to the fight against HIV/AIDS.ENDS

Source : BOPA

Author : Leteng Nokwane

Location : KANYE

Event : Interview

Date : 18 May 2018