Students to be bribed with alcohol for Chlamydia tests

As the number of people with sexually transmitted infections is rising, especially amongst the younger generation, and fewer people are being tested. This has led the National Union of Students (NUS) to introduce a controversial new scheme to induce students to take a Chlamydia test.

As an incentive to take the test, the NUS is offering students drink tokens after being tested. The scheme is being rolled out across the coming year, with many of the events held during Fresher's Week, when students are traditionally partying hard and meeting new people.

Last year Chlamydia was found to be the most common sexually transmitted disease in the UK, with 121,000 cases reported last year. Of those, two-thirds of those infected were between 16 and 24.

The incentive has drawn criticism from, among others, the Department of Health, however, as encouraging students to binge drink. A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "We do not support offering alcohol as an incentive to test for STIs."

Ann Widdecombe, Conservative MP, commented, "Using alcohol to bribe youths into testing is unsuitable, as we're trying to curb binge drinking not promote it."

However, the vice-president of the NUS, Ben Whittaker, commented: "NUS encourages students' unions to run sexual health campaigns in an appropriate and responsible way."

Many people with Chlamydia never even see any symptoms, but if it is left untreated it can lead to infertility in women and other serious, lasting health problems. Treatment is straightforward, however: but for that to be effective people need to take the Chlamydia test.

Chlamydia test: http://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/hiv-sexual-health/Chlamydia-test.html

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