BASHH STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO JCVI ADVICE ON GONORRHOEA AND MPOX VACCINATIONS

BASHH fully endorses the importance of preventing infections and vaccination is one of the critical approaches to prevent MPOX and gonorrhoea infection.

We are delighted and thankful for the hard work undertaken by researchers, scientists, and the JCVI to bring these recommendations forward. We also acknowledge the mighty efforts of the sexual health voluntary sector and the trust placed in us by services users in agreeing to be part of the studies that have facilitated the development of these recommendations.

We ask the government to address the significant reductions that we have seen in funding for sexual health services in recent years, and to ensure that services are fully supported through the public health grant to deliver the JCVI advice to all those who require vaccination.

This must happen in order to address the gaping inequalities introduced by underfunding sexual health services over the last 10 years. This prevention mechanism will only be effective if people can access our services.

We very much look forward to working with UKHSA and others to develop a strategy for rolling this programme out in sexual health services in an equitable way.