Government of Canada’s 5 Year Plan
In July of 2019 the Government of Canada created a 5-year plan to reduce the impact on Canadian’s health by 2030. This plan, “Accelerating our response: Government of Canada five-year action plan on sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections”, is built on the foundation to increase the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of STIs and Blood Borne infections in Canada and is in response to the growing number and epidemic proportions of STIs in Canada.
What are the Goals?
The three main goals of the plan are the following:
- Reduce the incidence of STBBI in Canada
- Improve access to testing, treatment, and ongoing care and support
- Reduce stigma and discrimination that create vulnerabilities to STBBI
Although these seem reasonable and straightforward, there are many different aspects included in each of these goals.
Reducing the Incidence Rates
There are many avenues to address in order to see a reduction in the incident rate of STIs. Prevention is intricately intertwined with education and awareness. We need to be forthright in our information sharing with all demographics of people in order to normalize the conversations.
Education needs to be open, honest and all-inclusive. The shame associated with talking about sexual health and wellness needs to be removed. This will require ongoing social changes regarding having these conversations as a healthy part of one’s overall well-being.
Access to Testing and Treatment for All
Ongoing testing is a necessary component of STI prevention. As so many STIs are asymptomatic, testing is the only way to be sure of one’s status. When testing facilities are difficult to find, or there is a lack of awareness for availability, then the system is not working. In fact, it is failing. Again, educating the public as to where and how to access testing is imperative to see this as a successful goal. Treatment accessibility is the next requirement for the reduction in cases. Treatment needs to be made readily available to all individuals regardless of any social, economic, or other demographics.
Reducing the Stigma
Reducing the stigma around STIs and sexual wellness in general will go a long way in the implementation of the plan. But this is a big goal that is impacted by social norms, bias, shame, incorrect information, fear, racism and so many other factors. It is not insurmountable but can only be achieved by acceptance, open communication, inclusion, and understanding that humanity as a whole has the right to sexual health and well-being.
We all need to do our individual part to aid in the prevention and reduction of STIs within Canada and around the world.