Top doctors meet in Delhi to discuss evolving STI threats | Latest News Delhi

The three-day conference began on Friday and runs until September 1. Under the theme of “Emerging and Re-emerging Sexually Transmitted Diseases,” scientific discussions addressed both the factors driving the re-emergence of classic STDs such as syphilis and gonorrhea, as well as the newer STDs, their presentation and treatment. It also covered a wide range of topics, from the latest advances in STDs to new trends in HIV research.

“All physicians involved in the treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV, including dermatologists, gynecologists, microbiologists, epidemiologists and policy makers, came together to update their knowledge, present their research findings and discuss the current situation in India and globally with regard to HIV and sexually transmitted diseases,” said Dr Deepika Pandhi, senior professor of dermatology and STD at the University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi.

Dr. Pandhi, who is also the Organising Chairman of ASTICON 2024, added that the conference also provided an opportunity for brainstorming and generated useful suggestions for the control and treatment of STIs and HIV in India.

“This is particularly relevant now as an increase in cases of sexually transmitted diseases is being reported worldwide, particularly among the younger population as a result of childhood sexual abuse or early sexual debut. In addition, periodic outbreaks of newer sexually transmitted diseases cause high morbidity around the world. One example of this is the recent interest in the spread of the monkeypox outbreak through sexual contact,” she said.

The conference was opened by Dheeraj Shah, Director of the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (Government of India) and Srinivas B, Secretary of the National Medical Commission. They stressed that STIs and HIV must be combated by “educating the population, promoting preventive measures and ensuring adequate training of health personnel”.

The conference will be attended by nearly 450 delegates, including a human papillomavirus (HPV) expert Dr. Joel Palefsky from the USA, a genital medicine expert Dr. Uday Joshi from the UK, and 120 faculty members from across India and international experts from WHO.

Pandhi said this gathering of people from different parts of the world underscores the importance of global cooperation in tackling the complex challenges posed by sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.

The conference's scientific discussions include extensive lecture series, interdisciplinary panel discussions and symposia.

“Significant advances have been made in the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of these diseases over the past few decades, thanks in large part to the collaborative efforts of the global scientific community to improve outcomes and quality of life for those affected by STIs and HIV, while reducing societal stigma,” she said.

“Important examples include the impact of syndromic treatment of STIs in reducing the incidence of new HIV infections and the collaborative efforts of dermatologists, gynecologists and HIV experts in preventing cervical cancer, which research has shown to be associated with HPV infection.”

Despite these improvements, cervical cancer still poses a significant health risk, experts say. In India, it is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the absolute number of patients remains consistently high.

“Effective introduction of preventive HPV vaccination for adolescents, available in India, and screening for precancerous changes would further reduce the burden of cervical cancer. The contacts made and knowledge shared at the conference will help further improve STI and HIV care in India and beyond,” added Dr Pandhi.