MANAGING SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASES WITH LIMITED RESOURCES

Many aspects of the STD control model of specialised treatment and ref erral centres developed in the industrialised world may not be appropr iate, feasible or transferable to many resource poor settings. In thes e settings, STD treatment is often sought outside the formal health se ctor and in the primary health care setting. In such circumstances, le ss technical and more practical approaches are required such as the sy ndromic flow charts. In contrast to the enormity of the STD problem in these settings, the existing STD service infrastructure is either wea k or non-existent. While building this infrastructure is essential for the long-term control of STDs, this will require time to accomplish. In the meantime, concomitant interventions are needed that can achieve a rapid reduction of STDs that can be implemented right away, making use of existing and often scarce resources and infrastructure. This pa per outlines a number of 'innovative' approaches to STD control.