JAMAICA has seen an increase in the number of people being treated for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis, over the past four years, with the highest rate recorded among young adults aged 20 to 24.

According to data from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, 35,713 cases were seen in the public health system in 2024, compared to 34,278 the previous year, and 31,572 in 2022. In 2021 a total of 33,472 patients were treated.

Women continue to account for the majority of cases, with 28,220 patients compared to 7,493 males in 2024.

“The vast majority of what we see is genital discharge syndrome…well over 99 per cent, and about one per cent in terms of genital ulcer disease,” Dr Nicola Skyers, senior medical officer at the National HIV/STI Programme in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, told the Jamaica Observer.

The data showed that there were 34,411 cases of genital discharge syndrome in 2024, while genital ulcer disease amounted to 86 cases.

Genital ulcers are sores on the genitals commonly caused by herpes, syphilis, and chancroid, while genital discharge syndrome refers to a group of symptoms, including gonorrhoea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, and candidiasis when they cannot be uniquely identified.

Meanwhile, syphilis cases rose to 1,216 in 2024, following a low of 865 in 2023.

Dr Skyers shared that the Ministry of Health and Wellness is currently conducting a survey to gather more detailed information on each specific sexually transmitted infection, which will become available in 2026.

Meanwhile, the highest STI rates continue to be seen among young adults aged 20 to 24, followed by those aged 15 to 19 and 25 to 29.

“The zero to 14 age group is very low. Then we see the increase in 15 to 19. This is when you’re getting into the adolescent, late adolescent period. Twenty to 24 is the highest; 15 to 19 and 25 to 29 is about the same, as well as 30 to 34. So it’s really your younger age group, your young adults that we’re actually seeing where the burden is primarily,” she explained.

Dr Skyers attributed this trend to low condom use and multiple partner relationships.

Dr Annisha Skinner, physician at St Ann Medical, an AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Wellness Centre, told the Sunday Observer that the most common infections seen at the clinic are genital discharge syndromes.

“We’ve been seeing steady testing numbers across the year. The data show that HIV positivity has ranged between zero and 6.7 per cent, while syphilis positivity peaked at about 5.7 per cent in July. Urethral and vaginal discharge syndromes, which would include chlamydia and gonorrhoea, have remained fairly constant in prevalence, and there has been a slight increase in the number of clients with symptomatic mycoplasma genitalium and ureaplasma parvum/urealyticum infections,” Dr Skinner shared.

She said the clinic has been seeing positive trends in the number of people visiting to get tested. However, she warned that STI testing should not be used as a substitute for practising safe sex.

“We encourage prevention of STI transmission among sexually active individuals by promoting condom use, encouraging open and honest conversations with sex partners, and discouraging the engagement in risky sexual behaviours,” she said.

Dr Skinner also recommended that sexually active people get tested at least twice a year. The physician pointed out all major STIs are treatable and patients diagnosed with HIV are immediately linked to antiretroviral therapy.

The rise in STI cases comes as Jamaica also continues to see shifts in HIV trends. According to the latest UNAIDS statistics, an estimated 28,000 Jamaicans were living with HIV in 2024, up from 26,000 in 2023.

However, there has been a decline in new infections to 1,100 in 2024, compared to 1,200 in 2023, and 1,400 in both 2021 and 2022. Men aged 15 and over accounted for 650 new cases in 2024, compared with 470 women.

Some 1,800 Jamaicans aged 15 to 24 were living with HIV in 2024, along with 290 children aged zero to 14.

The national HIV prevalence rate held steady at 1.1 per cent in 2024, lower than the 1.3 per cent recorded in 2021 and 2022.

Data on AIDS-related deaths for 2024 were not available, but 740 deaths were recorded in 2023, down significantly from 1,100 in 2022 and 770 in 2021.