Labour Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales JOYCE WATSON AM has called for a safe sex message to halt Wales' chlamydia epidemic.
Speaking after Contraceptive Awareness Week in an Assembly debate on the rising tide of sexually transmitted infections JOYCE WATSON AM said:
“We have to act now to tackle the silent epidemic of sexually transmitted infections that we are facing in Wales.
“We have to drive the message home that safe sex concerns everyone; male and female, and the safest way for people to protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is by using a condom.
“Currently, free condoms are only available through family planning clinics which are mostly attended by women*. Yet men now account for nearly half of all cases of chlamydia*. We need to address this and ensure that everyone takes responsibility for their own sexual health.
“Chlamydia can go undetected for years and can cause ectopic pregnancies, can be passed on to babies, and can cause infertility in both men and women.
“My serious worry is that with more and more people waiting until their 30s or 40s before starting families, unless we put out the message now about early testing and safe sex, many people in Wales are going to find themselves affected in the future.”
In response, Minister for Health and Social Services Edwina Hart said:
“I take Joyce Watson's point that it is mainly women who take the initiative with contraception, and we have to get other messages across to ensure that the safe sex message gets out.
“It is opportune that we are discussing this now, because I have commissioned the chief medical officer to look at sexual health, with health-related behaviour and risks, as the theme for the new public health strategic framework for Wales, ‘A Healthy Future’, which will be consulted on later this year.”
28th February 2008
-
