(September is Sexual Health Awareness Month. FIT is republishing this article to help spread awareness about sexual and reproductive health issues and sexually transmitted diseases.)

More than one million sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, are acquired every day worldwide. This is despite the fact that they are easily preventable - if only we talked more about them.

The lack of conversations around sexual health has meant that our knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases remains scarce, dated, and incomplete.

“For instance, the common perception is that HIV is a death sentence. But that is far from the truth. People with HIV can lead absolutely normal lives with today’s minimal treatment. They can have a natural lifespan, indulge in sex with their partners without a condom, get married, and even give birth to HIV negative babies when the virus is undetectable in their bodies with the medication,” says Dr Nivedhita Manokaran - Dermatologist, Venereologist and Clinician in Sexual & Reproductive Health & HIV Medicine, in conversation with FIT.

Listen in to our podcast, and get all your questions on STI prevention and treatment answered by an expert!