Commissioner of Public Health Maria Buncamper-Molanus, says that Carnival revelers should continue to act responsibly throughout the rest of the days of Carnival activities.
Buncamper’s appeal is in line with Sector Public Health, Social Development & Labour’s campaign on increasing awareness about Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) within the general population.
This year’s STI awareness program campaign slogan is "Preventing STI’s is Everybody’s Business…We Care…Do You?"
Sector Public Health will be giving out male and female condoms along with a brochure during the two big Carnival parades.
The Western Hemisphere which also includes the Caribbean, continues to be challenged by the spread of STIs. It has been estimated by the World Health Organization that on an annual basis 50 million new cases of STI’s occur in the Americas.
STIs are infections that are spread primarily through person-to-person sexual contact. There are more than 30 different sexually transmissible bacteria, viruses and parasites.
The most common conditions they cause are gonorrhoea, chlamydial infection, syphilis, trichomoniasis, chancroid, genital herpes, genital warts, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and hepatitis B infection.
STI’s are infections that can be transmitted while having sex. Transmitted means passed on from one place to another, in this case it means passed on from one person to another.
If you may have been exposed to an STD, you should consult your general practitioner and get tested if you have ever had sex (vaginal, anal or oral) without using a condom with someone who has an STD or HIV, or whose status you don’t know.
For good sexual health care, consult with your family physician. One should have an open and frank relationship with their physician about their sex life and sexual health concerns. Some physicians might not ask and one is then left without having any tests or the right ones done for STI’s.
For (awareness) basic STI information you can also contact your local AIDS Foundation, Red Cross Foundation, The Family Life Foundation and/or Sector Public Health, Social Development & Labour.