A new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concerns that Global Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), viral hepatitis epidemics and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) continue to pose significant public health challenges, causing 2.5 million deaths each year.

The report, titled “Implementing the global health sector strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, 2022–2030,” highlights the need for renewed focus and action to tackle these epidemics.

According to the WHO, new data show that STIs are increasing in many regions, stating that in 2022, WHO Member States set out an ambitious target of reducing the annual number of adult syphilis infections by ten-fold by 2030, from 7.1 million to 0.71 million. Yet, new syphilis cases among adults aged 15-49 years increased by over 1 million in 2022 reaching eight million.

The global health organisation said the increase is particularly alarming in the Americas and Africa.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said: “The rising incidence of syphilis raises major concerns. Fortunately, there has been important progress on a number of other fronts including in accelerating access to critical health commodities including diagnostics and treatment.

We have the tools required to end these epidemics as public health threats by 2030, but we now need to ensure that, in the context of an increasingly complex world, countries do all they can to achieve the ambitious targets they set themselves”.

However, the report acknowledges progress in expanding access to diagnostics and treatment for all three disease areas. WHO has validated 19 countries for eliminating mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and/or syphilis, showcasing the effectiveness of targeted interventions. Additionally, HIV treatment coverage has reached 76 per cent globally, with a high rate of viral suppression among those receiving treatment.

It stated further that four curable STIs – syphilis (Treponema pallidum), gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae), chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis), and trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis) – account for over 1 million infections daily. It notes a surge in adult and maternal syphilis (1.1 million) and associated congenital syphilis (523 cases per 100,000 live births per year) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In 2022, there were 230,000 syphilis-related deaths. New data also show an increase in multi-resistant gonorrhoea. As of 2023, out of 87 countries where enhanced gonorrhoea antimicrobial resistance surveillance was conducted, 9 countries reported elevated levels (from 5 to 40 per cent) of resistance to ceftriaxone, the last line treatment for gonorrhoea. WHO is monitoring the situation and has updated its recommended treatment to reduce the spread of this multi-resistant gonorrhoea strain.

“In 2022, around 1.2 million new hepatitis B cases and nearly one million new hepatitis C cases were recorded. The estimated number of deaths from viral hepatitis rose from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022 despite effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment tools.

“New HIV infections only reduced from 1.5 million in 2020 to 1.3 million in 2022. Five key population groups — men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers, transgender individuals, and individuals in prisons and other closed settings — still experience significantly higher HIV prevalence rates than the general population. An estimated 55 per cent of new HIV infections occur among these populations and their partners. HIV-related deaths continue to be high. In 2022, there were 630,000 HIV-related deaths, 13 per cent of these occurring in children under the age of 15 years.

“Efforts by countries and partners to expand STIs, HIV and hepatitis services are bringing formidable gains. WHO has validated 19 countries for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and/or syphilis, reflecting investments in testing and treatment coverage for these diseases among pregnant women. Botswana and Namibia are on the path to eliminating HIV, with Namibia being the first country to submit a dossier to be evaluated for the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.”