Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2009. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision (Kampala) - September 28, 2009
Irene Nabusoba
Speaking at a three-day training workshop for health journalists recently, Dr. Dan Kaye, from the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at Makerere University Medical School, said the prevalence of STDs was rising with increasing resistance to available treatments.
"We started with penicillins and went to sulphurs. The diseases can't be treated and are causing infertility, chronic vaginal discharge, blindness, miscarriages and still-births," Kaye said.
Participants at the event organised by the Uganda Health Communication Alliance, an umbrella organisation of health journalists, also heard that the trend was making the control of gonorrhoea, the second commonest STD, harder.
Kaye said separation of the HIV/AIDS department from Mulago Hospital's skin and STD departments had led to further neglect of such sexuality diseases.
Dr. Peter Kyambadde, a programme officer from the STD department, said the resistance was observed about two years back and they were in the process of acquiring new treatment guidelines.
"We are struggling with logistical issues. The change means that we need to inform people to stop using the previous medicines (ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin), change the line of treatment guidelines, destroy available stocks, have the procurement officials bring in new drugs," he said.
Kyambadde said they had earmarked three drugs for the new treatment guidelines but were yet to decide on one.
"We are analysing the cost implications, availability, possible side effects and mode of treatment. We want something that is not cumbersome, like taking a drug many times a day, because it affects adherence," Kyambadde said.
He noted that resistance occurs because of improper anti-biotic use, for instance, among people who do not finish their prescriptions.
The new drugs are likely to hike costs of STD treatment, especially in private clinics.
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