STI Advocacy in South Africa

In South Africa, STIs remain widespread, yet limited access to diagnostics, insufficient surveillance, fragmented coordination and underinvestment allow many infections to go undetected and untreated. This contributes to HIV transmission, antimicrobial resistance and poor reproductive and maternal health outcomes.

  • 40% of women aged 18–33 in some South African cohorts had at least 1 active STI at baseline
  • 1 essential treatment: benzathine benzylpenicillin (BPG) for syphilis in pregnancy is available, but its supply chain remains uncertain
  • 30% tetracycline resistance detected in gonorrhea isolates, signaling growing antimicrobial resistance concerns

South Africa Advocacy Agenda

In South Africa, access to credible STI information, strengthened advocacy capacity across communities, healthcare providers and policymakers, and a rights-based approach to sexual health is essential to improving STI prevention, diagnosis and care.

Download the Agenda

About STIs in South Africa

Explore the data on prevalence, health impacts and the factors shaping South Africa’s STI landscape.

More Info

South Africa Resources

Explore resources, data and tools to support STI advocacy in South Africa. These links highlight the burden of STIs, share evidence and policy updates and provide information to strengthen prevention, improve care and keep STIs a national health priority.

  • National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs

    View Resource

  • Microbiological sentinel surveillance of sexually-transmitted infection syndromes in South Africa, 2021–2024

    View Resource

  • Southern African HIV Clinicians Society 2022 guideline for the management of sexually transmitted infections: Moving towards best practice

    View Resource

  • Sexually Transmitted Infections MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES 2018

    View Resource

  • Association between partner treatment and repeat sexually transmitted infections positivity in pregnant women in East London, South Africa

    View Resource

  • Southern African HIV Clinicians Society Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Online Course

    View Resource

  • Ensuring demand and supply of benzathine penicillin to treat syphilis

    View Resource