Wednesday 17th May, 2006

Yet another increase in Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea shows that our current approach is failing

Today’s news reports that Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea are on the increase in New Zealand raises yet more questions about the effectiveness of condom promotions such as the recent “Hubba, hubba” media campaign which was funded by the New Zealand taxpayer.

“How long will we persist with this failed program of condom promotion” asks Family Life International media spokesperson; Brendan Malone.

“Family Life International has long been advocating that condoms are not going to reduce rates of sexually transmitted infections, and today’s media reports confirm, yet again, what we have been saying for years.”

According to a news report on Newstalk ZB at midday today; the Ministry of Health's STI surveillance team has released information about rates of Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea infections for the first three months of this year, and “rates for both STIs have increased since a year ago”.

“How many more lives have to be harmed by sexual disease before our Ministry of Health wakes up to the fact that condoms are not the answer to this crisis?”

“We need to start encouraging lifestyle and behaviour changes, not condoms, when it comes to sex education. We have no problems with such an approach to anti-smoking, and anti-drink driving campaigns, yet when it comes to sex; we seem determined to persist in a course of action that will only make things worse” says Mr Malone.

ENDS

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