Howard pledges action on sexually transmitted diseases
Conservative leader Michael Howard today pledged to take action on sexually transmitted diseases if elected.
He warned that Britain was facing a sexually transmitted diseases “epidemic”, and said it was time for a “clear, bold and very public health campaign” on diseases like Chlamydia.
“Young women need to know the risks involved and the precautions they can take – even if that makes some people uncomfortable. And by public I mean television,” Mr Howard told a press conference this morning.
He was speaking as Tony Blair was launching Labour’s mini-manifesto on health.
“Mr Blair may not think that sexual health is a national priority – but I do,” Mr Howard continued. ” It’s not an issue that can or should be swept under the carpet – it should be tackled directly.
“It is no exaggeration to say that in Britain today we face a sexually transmitted diseases epidemic. Gonorrhea has doubled. Chlamydia has doubled. HIV has more than doubled. We have the worst rates of sexual health since records began.”
He stressed today’s sexually transmitted diseases were “tomorrow’s NHS bills”, noting that Chlamydia alone will cost the NHS almost £10 million a year in infertility treatment.
The Conservative leader also reminded Mr Blair of a comment he made in 2002, where he said: “If the NHS is not basically fixed by the next election then I’m quite happy to suffer the consequences.”
Mr Howard said: “I don’t believe that the NHS is “basically fixed” – and nor do most other people. The truth is that Mr Blair’s Government has spent millions of pounds on the NHS and wasted much of it on bureaucracy.”
