Australia: Rise in STIs

12 August 2009
By Fidelis Rego, ABC Premium News (Australia)

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia says a lack of education is leading to a rise in the number of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in Queensland.

State president Dr Sheilagh Cronin says young people in the bush do not have access to the same family planning services as urban areas.

"I find it very concerning seeing 17 and 18-year-olds, they have no knowledge about things such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea, sexually transmitted infections which are in the community and really the question should be asked, why, why don't they have that knowledge?" she said.

"Why isn't that knowledge being imparted to them while they're at school?" She says the quality of reproductive and birthing services is also inadequate.

"We believe there should be good sexual health education for young people in schools and that there should be good access to family planning services when these young people leave school and embark on their normal lives," she said.