66% of tubal infertility & 33% of ectopic pregnancies caused by Chlamydia infection.
63,000 new cases of Chlamydia Australia wide in 2009.

With STD’s on the rise among sexually active young Australians, few realise the long term risks of exposing themselves to sexually transmitted diseases.

Conditions like Chlamydia often go unnoticed because it does not have many symptoms; however the lasting effects of this infection can lead to infertility and much angst later in life. The infection itself can be easily treated with a course of antibiotics if detected.

To combat this, a new initiative has been launched in the ACT that will pay sexually active young people $10 to have the Chlamydia test. Associate Professor Rhian Parker from the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute at the Australian National University hopes the test will go out Australia wide in the future.

She feels it is a very cost effective programme as “Chlamydia has a significant cost to the community (and) treating infertility when women are in their 30s, for example, is a very expensive process.”

Professor Rhian Parker said “What we are trying to do is raise awareness, provide access to young people to testing but also to show that Chlamydia is something that anyone can get that is sexually active.”

Research shows that tubal infertility and ectopic pregnancies are often caused by the Chlamydia infection.

“When you have got something and you don’t know about it, why don’t we help you to make a good decision about your health,” Dr Parker said of the rationale behind the project.

Participating pharmacies in the ACT include:

  • Devlin’s Garema Place
  • City Markets
  • Priceline in central Canberra
  • Pyes in central Canberra
  • Suburban pharmacies in Hughes and Charnwood.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: AAP