Alberta has earned a rather unpleasant distinction, home to the country’s worst rate of sexually transmitted infections, or STIs.
The province exceeds the national rates for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis.
In 2009, seven babies were born in Alberta with Syphilis, compared to one in the rest of the country.
Since 2005, 25 babies have been born with Syphilis in Alberta, and nine of those babies have died.
A new education campaign called "Don’t You Get It" has now been launched to combat the problem.
Alberta’s Minister of Health, Gene Zwozdesky says the campaign is crucial to cutting STI rates in the province.
"We can, we will, and we must reduce sexually transmitted infectious diseases in our province." Zwosdesky said at a news conference on Tuesday. "This is very strong and definitive action to reduce these rates of a very devastating series of diseases."
The province will spend $14M on the campaign, which has several facets.
Television and print ads will target Albertans aged 15 to 24, the age group where the rates are increasing the fastest.
Some of the money will also be spent on more physician resources and nurses.
The goal of the campaign is to eliminate congenital syphilis and reduce other STI rates in the province.
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