SYMPOSIUM

Response of a sexually transmitted infection epidemic to a treatment and prevention programme in Nairobi, Kenya

S Moses¹, E N Ngugi², A Costigan², C Kariuki², I Maclean³, R C Brunham⁴ and F A Plummer¹

¹ Departments of Medical Microbiology, Community Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
² Department of Community Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
³ Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
⁴ British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr. Stephen Moses, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, 730 William Avenue, Fifth Floor, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3E 0W3;
smoses{at}cc.umanitoba.ca

Although it seems possible in a developing country context such as Kenya, given appropriate inputs and a sound approach, to shift a sexually transmitted disease (STI) epidemic from phase II to III, it is not entirely clear how to go beyond this stage, to low levels of endemicity or even elimination. Perhaps the most important challenge now is to expand STI treatment and community STI/HIV prevention programmes to a much larger scale. Although successful programmes have been implemented in many areas of sub-Saharan Africa on a small scale, a significant impact in reducing the STI/HIV burden will not occur until programme reach is expanded to district, provincial, and national levels.

Keywords: sexually transmitted infection; HIV; female sex worker; Kenya

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