European Parliament recommendations For Tackling STI

Last Wednesday, on the July,5, members of European Parliament assured the European Commission to pay enough attention for HIV, hepatitis C, TB treatment, and prophylaxis. The resolution was adopted by show of hands.

Members of EP note that an action plan to prevent further transmission of STI is needed. Rapid detection of infectious diseases transmission, estimation of prevalence trends, monitoring in real time the treatment effectiveness would significantly help to improve the situation.

As HIV is the most stigmatized disease, EP recommends to review the ways of treatment and care for those living with HIV and to keep fighting against discrimination of HIV positive people. HIV tests should be provided without any charge for HIV to be diagnosed in the early stages. That move could potentially improve HIV transmission and care. As the European Center for Disease Control statistical reports says, one out of seven people living with HIV are not aware of their status.

Viral hepatitis (HCV) is considered to be one of the most dangerous public health threats, and hepatitis C remains lately diagnosed because of lack of symptoms. It is also hard to say how much people have hepatitis C virus. The Commission is going to make a plan, where routine screening and testing, treatment and prophylaxis will be included, to consume Hepatitis C by the year 2030.

TB remains mortal for many HIV-positive people. The number of them suffering from tuberculosis keeps growing. More than 100 000 Europeans have a multi-drug-resistant form of TB. If that problem weren't solved, TB drug resistance would kill nearly 10 million people.