NHS rolls out gonorrhoea jab to tackle rising STI rates

Key Summary

• UK launches world’s first gonorrhoea vaccine to protect high-risk groups and curb record infection rates
• Free 4CMenB jab offered at sexual health clinics, alongside vaccines for mpox, hepatitis A/B, and HPV
• Expected to prevent 100,000 cases, save the NHS £7.9 million, and combat antibiotic resistance

NHS England, along with local authorities, has rolled out the world’s first gonorrhoea vaccination programme to safeguard people from the risk of the sexually transmitted bacterial infection.

Sexual health clinics will offer free 4CMenB vaccines for patients prone to the infection.

It is also provided for homosexual and bisexual men, especially who have a recent history of multiple sexual partners and a bacterial STI in the previous 12 months.

The vaccine is expected to avert nearly 100,000 cases of gonorrhea, relieving pressure on NHS services.

This significant programme enphasises on the government’s shift from sickness to prevention.

Gonorrhoea cases in England have reached record highs. In 2023, over 85,000 cases were reported, nearly three times more than in 2012.

The new vaccine will cut NHS spending by £7.9 million over the next decade, and help stop the spread of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea.

“I strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to come forward for vaccination, to protect not only yourselves but also your sexual partners,” said Ashley Dalton, minister for public health and prevention.

The gonorrhoea vaccination programme is an addition to the government’s prevention and community health initiatives such as the the Department of Health and Social Care’s National HIV Prevention Programme delivered by the Terrence Higgins Trust, which has worked with local teams for four years to run HIV Testing Week and summer health campaigns with an annual funding of £1.5m.

As part of the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, more efforts are underway to ease pressure on hospitals by increasing uptake of key vaccines.

This includes the leading RSV vaccine, which offers vital protection to both infants and older adults against a potentially fatal illness.

Eligible patients receiving the gonorrhoea vaccine will also be offered mpox, hepatitis A and B, and HPV vaccines ensuring broad protection against multiple infections.

“Sexually transmitted infections aren’t just an inconvenience – they can have a major impact on your health and your sexual partners, so if offered I strongly urge you to get these jabs, you’ll be protecting yourself as well as others. Don’t put it off and regret it later,” adviced Dr Sema Mandal, consultant epdemologist at the UK Health Security Agency.

She also added that “the vaccine will give much needed protection to those that need it most - making the UK a world leader in the fight against gonorrhoea.”