Wesson Health Advocates Push for STI Awareness at Statewide Summit

Special to Wesson News

Dr. Thomas Dobbs speaker.

Kim Whittington and Jessica Breazeale, Wesson residents and health advocates, participated in the recent B.E. S.A.F.E. (Sexual Awareness for Everyone) Summit at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). 

The John D. Bower School of Population Health Sciences hosted the event at the UMMC Norman C. Nelson Student Union Conference Center to empower healthcare professionals, students and community partners with the tools and knowledge to address syphilis, HIV/AIDS, and other STIs in Mississippi.

Whittington and Breazeale found it an important learning experience. 

“Mississippi being #1 in STIs is not something to be proud of,” Whittington said.  “We need to do better. We are failing our citizens by not providing them with what they need to be sexually safe.” 

Mississippi has a high rate of syphilis infections, and in expectant mothers the rate has risen more than 1000% in the past 10 years. Syphilis can easily be treated with one shot of penicillin.  Left untreated, it can cause miscarriage and stillbirth or be passed to unborn children who will be birthed with severe complications, including brain damage and blindness. 

“Every expectant mother should be checked for syphilis during pregnancy,” said Whittington.