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Men Shunning STI Treatment in Mwanza

Mkandawire Mkandawire - pic by Moses Masiye

A surveillance of sexualy transmitted infections (STIs) conducted from January to December 2022 has revealed that 49 percent of people seeking such treatment in Mwanza district get re-infected.

A trained field epidemiology officer also senior nursing officer for Mwanza district health office Tamara Mkandawire did the study sampling the district's three of the four health facilities of Thambani, Kunenekude and Mwanza district hospital. 

It was also found that 21 percent of these are HIV positive.

She further finds out that:- "63% of those seeking health services for STIs are women, indicating that more men are shunning treatment thereby leading to more re-infections."

Mkandawire says will share the findings with the district authorities and other stakeholders for action, which may assist in addressing the challenges.

According to Mkandawire, the training in epidemiology is assisting her analyze data efficiently and easily detect challenges in the health sector.

Grace Funsani, chief epidemiology officer for ministry of health's Public health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) says this is one reason they are on the move training more health and agriculture workers in field epidemiology.

"We have to this far already offered field epidemiology training for frontliners to about 200 staff for ministries of agriculture and health," Funsani told Zodiak Online.

Center for Disease Control (CDC) is one partner supporting PHIM through International training and education center for health (ITECH) for the field epidemiology training program for the frontliners.

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