Charity warns over rise in STIs

A women’s health charity has called for the immediate implementation of the National Sexual Health strategy after it was revealed recorded cases of chlamydia increased 32% in 2014.

The Dublin Well Women Centre’s annual report showed 253 positive cases of chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection, last year. That was the second highest figure recorded in the last 13 years. It said the number of people who had sought testing also hit its highest level ever last year with 5,042 tests conducted in its three Dublin clinics.

The news follows confirmation in recent days that St James’s Hospital was beginning routine testing for HIV and hepatitis B and C for all emergency department patients after a pilot programme found an “alarming” number of diagnoses for the diseases. At least two people per 1,000 were being diagnosed with HIV.