WHO @ The STI & HIV 2023 World Congress

24 – 27 July 2023
Chicago, United States of America

Overview

The STI & HIV 2023 World Congress (24-27 July, Chicago, United States) is jointly organized between the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research (ISSTDR) and the International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI), the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) and the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association (ASTDA). The theme of the meeting this year is Local engagement, global impact. The key objective is to address global challenges to STIs response and control while also addressing the inequities experienced at the global level, with focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programmes will be present at the 2023 STI & HIV World Congress, launch and promote WHO policies, guidelines and tools related to STIs. This will include the launch of the Global WHO laboratory and point-of-care diagnostic testing for STIs/HIV manual, STI landscape analysis and target product profiles for point-of-care tests for STIs. The department will also present and discuss the new Global Health Sector Strategies for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections for the period 2022-2030 in the opening ceremony.

Objectives

  • highlight the burden of STIs and the need for effective responses despite the paucity of surveillance data;
  • advocate open discussion about STIs prevention and care, particularly among key populations and adolescents;
  • highlight the global need for improved access to packages of interventions for the prevention and care of STIs; and
  • share new scientific knowledge, the latest technological innovations, and global research priorities relevant to STIs.

WHO sessions

Monday 24 July 2023

08:00–10:30

What’s new in STI diagnostics and point-of-care testing for STIs
WHO will launch the Global WHO Laboratory and point-of-care diagnostic tests for sexually transmitted infections including HIV, the Diagnostic landscape for sexually transmitted infections and the Point-of-care tests for sexually transmitted infections: target product profiles.
In this session we will discuss updates in STIs diagnostics and will present the diagnostic landscape of available tests, as well as the target product profiles for point-of-care tests for STIs. 
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10:30–12:00

Enhanced Gonorrhoea Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Surveillance
The Enhanced Gonorrhea Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Programme (EGASP) aims to strengthen monitoring of AMR in Neisseria gonorrhoeae to ensure standardized and comparable data globally through establishing EGASP in sentinel countries globally.
In this session we will present the EGASP methodologies and patterns of resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in sentinel countries and implications in national AMR response. 
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13:00–14:20

New developments in the response to AMR STIs: surveillance efforts, new treatments and diagnostics and better strategies for LMICs
The session will present some of the latest developments in the field, share experiences within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and chart the way forward in addressing antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
In this session we will share LMIC experience and challenges in addressing AMR in Neisseria gonorrhoeae, present new or near market diagnostics and therapeutics, new treatment guideline developments and define implementation as well as research and the gaps to better address AMR in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. 
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14:20–15:00

STI research priorities: Results of a WHO global prioritization process
WHO has undertaken a global research priority setting exercise for STIs, to address the most pressing gaps in STI prevention, management, and control. Through a multi-stage process, stakeholders from all 6 WHO regions provided input on critical research needs to understand STI epidemiology and burden, develop and evaluate new STI interventions, and evaluate implementation of existing interventions and programs. 
In this session we will review the methodology of the WHO global STI research prioritization process, highlight the global STI research priorities, and discuss solutions and next steps for advancing the global STI research agenda.   
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16:00–18:00

Opening session – Plenary on global STIs priorities and strategies

Tuesday 25 July 2023

10:00–11:30

Spotlight: Innovations in STI care – How to maximize the potential of point-of-care tests & decentralized testing?

Wednesday 26 July 2023

10:00–11:30

GARDP event - Introduction of Zoliflodacin in LMICs