Health providers are now appealing to Kenyans to use dual protection to avoid the surge in cases of other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

This is after it emerged that cases of STIs among people using Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEPs) to prevent contracting HIV/AIDS had increased in the country.

PrEP program officer at the National Syndemic and Diseases Control Council Johan Onentiah

Dr Jonah Onentiah, the PrEP Programme Technical Lead at the Ministry of Health’s National Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Control Programme (NASCOP), says Kenyans at risk of HIV/AIDS infections have thrown caution to the wind, just because they use PrEPs, forgetting about other dangerous STIs.

There is a possibility, Onentiah rued, that Kenyans using PrEP are not using other protection measures like condoms, hence they are exposed to other STIs.

“PrEP alone is not sufficient, let us remember there are other STIs and pregnancy,” Onentiah says, adding. “With the use of PrEP there is also increase in other STIs, let’s remember PrEP is not a one bullet that will hit everything, there is a need to use combination of prevention.”

Data from the Ministry shows that 41% of new HIV infections in the country in the year 2022 were recorded among the youth and adolescent aged 15-24 years.

It is for this reason that Onentiah says they will target more youth and adolescents in the fight against HIV/AIDS.