Tide of Infertility will Overwhelm NHS

1.06.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 24th Sep 2003

Jenny Tonge MP for Richmond Park

Dr Jenny Tonge, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, warned of a tide of infertility waiting to overwhelm the National Health Service at the Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference in Brighton on Monday September 22nd.

Dr Tonge, who is Vice President of the Family Planning Association, was speaking at a meeting called by the FPA to discuss the growing crisis of sexual health. The meeting heard from Anne Weymann OBE, the FPA Chair, of the frightening rates of infection by Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease which is largely symptom-free, but which causes infertility in women."

Dr Tonge said: "This is a time-bomb waiting to overwhelm the NHS and the Government is being far too timid in tackling it. We're told they will introduce a national screening programme for chlamydia - but not for ten years. Why are they so terrified of tackling this issue?"

"I think they are afraid of inviting a backlash from the Daily Mail and its neo-conservative friends."

"Perhaps we should re-train all those heart consultants who are going to be redundant as a result of better information on drinking and smoking, to be sexually-transmitted infection consultants. Because this is definitely the next crisis to hit the NHS."