Year: 2024 | Month: February | Volume: 14 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 214-221
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20240229
Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Adolescents: A Current Issue Facing the Health System in Nigeria
Dr Fatima Mahmood Jibirilla1, Dr Victor Omeiza Peter2, Dr Amatu Babakura Imam3, Dr Halima Talba4
1Lecturer 1, Department of Community Medicine, Baze University, Abuja,
2Lecturer 11, Department of Community Medicine, Baze University, Abuja,
3Senior Registrar, Department of Family Medicine, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital
4Consultant Haematologist, Department of Haematology, University of Maiduguri Teaching hospital
Corresponding Author: Dr Fatima Mahmood Jibirilla
ABSTRACT
Adolescents, the population between the ages of 10-19 years constitute more than 30 million of the Nigerian total population, yet their special circumstance of being in a stage of transition from childhood to adulthood is been ignored. And even though adolescents have rapid physical, emotional, and intellectual development, they have been found to have a high risk of sexually transmitted infection. Globally about 340 million new cases of STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis occur each year and the majority are seen in people of 25 years and below. Nearly 6000 new cases of Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) are being detected in young people daily, and two-thirds of the World’s youth living with HIV today live in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper will therefore focus on the impact of adolescent sexually transmitted infections (STI) on healthcare service delivery and suggests two policy options to reduce the STI burden among Nigerian adolescents.
Key words: Adolescents, STIs, Healthcare, service delivery, policy.