Ahna nghidulha ‘tas-sex’. (Biex inkompli nuri u nikkonferma dak li hemm miktub fl-artiklu dwar il-mentalita tal maltin)

The only STD that affects gay men primarily in Malta is HIV. There’s a big story about it in The Sunday Times of Malta today.

Rates of syphilis in the East have been decreasing for some time (partly because of privatisation of health services and lack of reporting), but rates in the West, including Malta, have been decreasing over recent years.

The reason for the increase in the West is quite clear: see pages 25 and onwards of this report –

http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/sexual-transmitted-infections-europe-surveillance-report-2013.pdf

Anonymous sex is nothing new – and with apps like Tinder and Grindr it is easier than ever.

He could also explain why those found to have one or more HPV infections are not referred to sexually transmitted infections specialists who have the training and experience to give advice on safe sex.

Often these patients are instead spoken to by newly qualified doctors. Some of these doctors have severe language problems because neither they nor many of their patients are fluent in English and the said doctors are themselves non-Maltese speakers.

Did the Secretary for Health mention how many colposcopies are done annually because of pre-cancerous changes in women’s cervices and how many cases of cervical cancers are diagnosed?

Could the public be informed how many of these women have the high risk HPV viruses?

I have met a number of women who are reluctant to vaccinate their daughters and to discuss the use of condoms, most of them have no idea of how widespread HPV infections are in Malta and seem reluctant to believe the information when it is discussed.

A secretary for health who talks about STIs and ignores the issue does not help.

How long until it reaches our shores?

https://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/teenagers-daring-each-other-to-snort-cocaine-on-camera-is-the-new-ice-bucket-challenge-vgtrn