Local 'Explosion' of Sexual Diseases

10.36.09am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Jul 2003

Figures published this week by Kingston Hospital show that, even in the context of what the House of Commons Health Select Committee called a "crisis", the Richmond and Kingston area has seen a veritable epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases.

The figures from Kingston Hospital clinic show that in the five years 1996-2001 there was a growth of 927% in local cases of chlamydia (108% nationally), 118% for herpes (12% nationally), 393% for gonorrhoea (86% nationally).

Only in the case of infectious syphilis (400% rise) was the

trend below the national average (500%). There is also an alarming growth in HIV infection (200% in three years).

Vincent Cable, MP, said: "the figures are quite frightening and suggest that large numbers of people, especially young people, having sex promiscuously are totally ignorant of the facts of life, selfish about the risk of spreading harmful diseases and in some cases putting their own and their partner's health and fertility at serious and perhaps permanent risk".

"It is clear from the report that the NHS is being overwhelmed, cannot cope with the demand and is not giving the issue the priority it deserves".

"There is a deeper failure. Sex education in schools or at home is simply failing to communicate the risks of promiscuous and unprotected sex to large numbers of young people."