BMA warns of sex health 'crisis' as infection rates rise

The British Medical Association (BMA) has claimed that Britain's sexual health is now at crisis point after official figures revealed that diagnoses of infections had risen by 4%.

Across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2003, new diagnoses increased from 678,709 in 2002 to 708,083 during 2003, according to latest figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) at the launch of its first annual report.

The BMA has warned that the time for predictions was over - as the sex health "crisis is here".

The government should digest the figures and "get its act together to bring down the soaring rates of sexually transmitted infections", the association said.

Mr James Johnson, BMA chairman, said that the figures made "very depressing reading indeed".

He added: "It is a scandal that the service we offer patients today is worse than it was 90 years ago. During the First World War a free, rapid and totally confidential service was set up to treat sexually transmitted infections. Nearly a century later patients who turn up at GUM clinics can wait up to six weeks for an appointment. What use is that?"

Chlamydia represents a growing concern as it rose by 9% - from 82,558 to 89,818 in 2003. It remains the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection (STI) in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics. The biggest increase was in syphilis, which increased by 28% from 1,232 in 2002 to 1,575 in 2003.

However the HPA has pointed out that the "picture is variable", with diagnoses of some infections such as chlamydia and syphilis increasing, and diagnoses of gonorrhoea and genital herpes declining.

On the positive side, gonorrhoea was found to have decreased by 3% - from 25,065 in 2002 to 24,309 in 2003 - and genital herpes decreased by 2% - from 18,432 in 2002 to 17,990 in 2003.

Sir William Stewart, Chairman of the Agency, said: “These are all preventable infections and it is a cause of considerable concern that we are still seeing increases in new diagnoses of STIs across the UK and unsafe sex is undoubtedly a main contributor to this.

“This is the time of year when many young people go on holiday and these figures are a timely reminder of how important it is for people to take responsibility for their own, and their partners’, sexual health, and to use a condom with new and casual sexual partners. If people think they are at risk of having contracted an STI, or have any symptoms, they should go to a GUM clinic for a check-up at the earliest opportunity.”

According to the HPA, certain sections of the population, notably gay men and young people, are most affected and it has pledged to continue to work with them to tackle high disease rates.

(gmcg)