Michael Howard has promised to launch an Aids-style public awareness campaign against sexually transmitted infections.

The Conservative leader said on Tuesday, international women's day, that diseases such as Chlamydia are threatening to spread infertility around a whole generation of young people.

With STI rates having steadily increased in recent years, the Tories pledged to take action along the lines of 1980s information campaign on HIV/Aids, even if this meant confronting difficult issues.

"I've met people who tell me they are alive today because of the AIDS campaign of the 1980s – a bold, high profile campaign which made some people uncomfortable but which taught the majority of people how to protect themselves from HIV," Howard said.

"It's time for a clear, bold, and very public health campaign on diseases like Chlamydia, which can literally ruin women's lives.

"Young women need to know the risks involved and the precautions they can take – even if that makes some people uncomfortable. And by public I mean television.

"Today is international women’s day.  But this isn’t just an issue for young women. It's a worry for parents and grandparents too. No one wants their children or grand children to suffer the heartbreak of infertility.  Everyone wants our children to have the chance of a better life than their parents."

Priority

The Tory leader blamed Tony Blair's government for failing to give public health issues priority.

"Public health is important – it affects every family in our country," he said. "That's why a Conservative government will introduce health checks for people wanting to settle here – so that we don't import life threatening diseases into our country.

"And we'll take action to tackle sexually transmitted diseases. Mr Blair may not think that sexual health is a national priority – but I do. 

"It's not an issue that can or should be swept under the carpet – it should be tackled directly.

"It is no exaggeration to say that in Britain today we face a sexually transmitted diseases epidemic. Gonorrhoea has doubled. Chlamydia has doubled. HIV has more than doubled. We have the worst rates of sexual health since records began.

"And today's sexually transmitted diseases are tomorrow's NHS bills. Chlamydia alone will cost the NHS almost £10 million a year in infertility treatment. And if we don't take action today the problem is only going to get worse."