In light of this slogan, the Preventive Health Department campaign objectives is to bring about awareness as it relates to STI; to encourage individuals to be more responsible for their health; to provide the public with general information and to increase access of condom availability during the next two weeks.
The activities range from articles in the newspaper, television and radio interviews, jingles, and condom and flier distribution at various locations.
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 gonorrhea, Chlamydia infection, syphilis, trichomoniasis, chancroid, genital herpes, genital warts, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and hepatitis B infection.
Several, in particular HIV and syphilis, can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy and childbirth, and through blood products and tissue transfer.
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.
Some of the infections are treatable and curable. Treatable entails that medication is available to make the symptoms go away, but the disease stays in your body, and you can continue passing the disease on to another person. Some treatable infections are genital warts, herpes, hepatitis B/C and HIV.
Curable entails where medication is available to get the disease out of your body. Some of the STI's that are curable are gonorrhea (claps), Chlamydia, public lice (crabs) and syphilis.
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.
Practicing safer sex reduces sexual health risks. Safer sex means taking positive action to lower the risk of sexually transmitted infections. The most common approach is the ABC approach which stands for Abstinence, Be Faithful and always Condomize.
Practicing safer sex is very important because it decreases the chances of transmitting sexual infections which are usually spread between persons who have no symptoms of infection.
You can lower your risk for becoming infected with a disease spread during sex by using a latex male condom or female condom the right way every time you have sex. Both condoms should not be used simultaneously; not using drugs and alcohol as they can get in the way of you protecting yourself; do not have multiple sex partners.
Remember most people who have an STI have no symptoms. Therefore you cannot tell by looking at a person if they are infected with a disease.
Get tested, get treated! It is possible to have more than one sexually transmitted disease at the same time. It's also possible to get the same disease again. The longer you postpone treatment, the greater damage caused by the disease. If you even suspect you've been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease, visit your doctor or clinic immediately.
As Carnival 2009 gets underway, be aware unsafe sex results in unplanned consequences and don't let it be an STI. Be responsible for your health and have fun but be safe and remember your ABC: Abstain; Be Faithful; Condomize.
For (awareness) basic STI information you can also contact your local AIDS Foundation, Red Cross Foundation, The Family Life Foundation and/or the Preventive Health Department.