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A new approach to stop spread of HIV Its seen that proper STD care can reduce the rate of HIV infection by 40%. The presence of other STDs makes it twice as easy for the HI virus to move from one person to another during sexual intercourse. This fact has been put to use to prevent the spread of HIV and other STDs successfully in South African mining communities. The programme, which has not been used anywhere else in the world, not only saves lives, but translates into a saving of millions per annum to the mining companies. The Lesedi project has introduced an approach to HIV prevention that involves the eradication of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) The approach, is called periodic presumptive treatment (PTT). This project targets women who have a high risk of contracting an STD and offers them a single monthly dose of an antibiotic called azithromycin, regardless of whether they have symptoms of an STD or not. Its a known fact that people often do not know that they have an STD and should get treatment. Instead, they unknowingly continue to transmit the disease to others. Previously, STD services provided by mining companies were hamstrung by the fact that they were only treating their employees, and not their employees’ sexual partners, including commercial sex workers. As a result, mine employees simply become re-infected. PPT has reduced STD rates among women by 85%. STD rates among miners have also dropped dramatically. There are 78% fewer genital ulcers and 43% less gonorrhoea and chlamydia among miners.
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