What the Swiss don’t know about sexually transmitted infections
Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise across Europe - including in Switzerland. Part of the reason is ignorance: a government survey showed almost 80% of respondents know of HIV, but only half of them could name other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
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I have a wealth of experience as a journalist working in Switzerland and enjoy producing videos, articles and podcasts on a range of subjects, recently focused mainly on politics and the environment.
Born in the UK, I studied law at Nottingham University, then went on to attend the first-ever post-graduate radio journalism college in London. After working as a radio journalist in the UK and then Switzerland from 1984 to 1995, I returned to the UK to complete a post-graduate diploma in film at Bournemouth Film School. I have been working as a video journalist ever since.
In 2024, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) set out to reduce the number of infections with more education and testing. Its LOVE LIFE campaign “Ready!” aimed to completely stop transmissions of HIV and the hepatitis B and C viruses in Switzerland by 2030 and decrease infections with other STIs.
However, in February 2025 it was announced the FOPH is cutting various programmes due to government austerity measures and the LOVE LIFE campaign is one of them.
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