PREVENTING STIs AND HIV: PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH, YOUR FUTURE, AND YOUR COMMUNITY

By Dr Tariq Jagnarine
Fam Medicine

Sexual health is often spoken about in hurried whispers or avoided entirely in many homes across Guyana. But the truth is simple: every sexually active person, regardless of age, income, or background, is at risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV if they are not properly protected.
Across the Caribbean, STIs remain one of the most common health challenges among adolescents and adults. HIV, although now treatable and manageable, continues to affect thousands of individuals and families. The more openly we talk about prevention, the more empowered our communities become.
In an era where information is everywhere, but misconceptions still thrive, it is more important than ever to understand how to protect ourselves and our partners.

Why STI and HIV prevention matters
STIs such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, Human papillomavirus (HPV), and herpes often cause no early symptoms, silently damaging the body over months or years. Untreated infections can lead to infertility, chronic pain, complicated pregnancies, stillbirth, and increased vulnerability to HIV.
HIV, on the other hand, is no longer a death sentence. Treatment is free in Guyana, and people living with HIV can live long, healthy, normal lives, but prevention is still the strongest tool we have to stop new infections.
When one person becomes infected, the impact ripples through families, relationships, and the entire community. Prevention protects not just the individual; it protects everyone around them.

Understanding how STIs and HIV spread
Most sexually-transmitted infections, including HIV, spread through unprotected sex (vaginal, anal, or oral), sharing needles, or from mother to child during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Contrary to popular myths, they cannot spread through hugging, sharing plates, or sitting next to someone.
The risk increases when someone has multiple partners, has sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or engages in sexual activity without a condom.

Essential prevention methods that work
1. Consistent and Correct Condom Use
Condoms – male or female – remain one of the most effective ways to prevent most STIs and HIV. But effectiveness depends on correct and consistent use. Using a condom “sometimes” still leaves room for infections to occur.
In Guyana, condoms are freely available at health centres, hospitals, CSOs, and many community hubs. They remain your first line of defence.
2. Limit Number of Sexual Partners
Multiple partners increase the risk of exposure to infections. Choosing fewer partners – and knowing their sexual health status – significantly reduces your risk.
3. Know Your Status
Getting tested is not only responsible – it is empowering.
Many STIs have no symptoms, so you cannot rely on how someone “looks” or “feels”.
HIV tests, syphilis tests, and other STI screenings are available at all health centers, and the process is private, confidential, and free. Knowing your status also protects the people you care about.
4. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
PrEP is a daily pill for people at higher risk of HIV (such as individuals with multiple partners, sex workers, or partners of people living with HIV). It reduces HIV risk by over 95 per cent when taken correctly.
PrEP is available in Guyana through NAPS, the Ministry of Health, and several regional health facilities.
5. Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
If you think you’ve been exposed to HIV –through unprotected sex, sexual assault, or needle exposure – PEP can prevent infection if started within 72 hours.
Time is everything: the earlier, the better.
6. Vaccination
Vaccines protect against Hepatitis B and HPV—two major sexually transmitted infections. HPV vaccination protects against cervical cancer, a leading cause of death in Caribbean women.
7. Avoid Alcohol and Substance Use During Sexual Activity
Alcohol or drugs can impair judgement, leading to risky decisions such as skipping condoms or engaging in high-risk activities.
8. Do Not Share Needles or Piercing Equipment
This includes needles for injecting drugs, tattooing, or piercing. Always ensure items are sterilised and disposable.

TREATMENT: WHY EARLY CARE MATTERS
Most STIs are easily treated with antibiotics—if diagnosed early.
Delays can lead to long-term consequences, including infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and enhanced HIV transmission.
HIV treatment is lifelong, but modern medication is powerful enough to make the virus undetectable. When someone’s HIV becomes undetectable, they cannot transmit the virus sexually – a scientific fact known as U=U.

RECOGNISING THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
While many STIs show no symptoms, some early warning signs include:
• Unusual discharge
• Pain during urination
• Sores, bumps, or rashes
• Lower abdominal pain
• Itching or burning
• Bleeding between periods
If any of these occur, seek medical care immediately. Do not self-medicate with antibiotics from shops – this causes resistance and makes infections harder to treat.
DOs AND DON’Ts FOR STI AND HIV PREVENTION
Do:
• Use condoms every time
• Get tested regularly
• Discuss sexual health with partners
• Take PrEP if at high risk
• Seek treatment early
• Get vaccinated for HPV and Hepatitis B
Don’t:
• Assume a partner is STI-free because they look healthy
• Skip condoms because you “trust” someone
• Self-treat with antibiotics
• Share needles
• Stigmatise people living with HIV or STIs
Protecting yourself from STIs and HIV is not about fear – it’s about empowerment. It is about valuing your health, your future, and your relationships. Sexual health is not a taboo topic; it is a critical part of overall well-being.
Let’s normalise getting tested.
Let’s normalise talking openly and honestly about prevention.
Let’s normalise protecting ourselves and our partners.
Knowledge is prevention.
Protection is power.
And staying healthy is your right.