Minister's comment irks sexual health policy promoter

The lone crusader of sexual health promotion, Philip Carabot, is prepared to throw in the towel after taking offence to Social Policy Minister John Dalli's accusations that he had a personal agenda.

"If the Honourable Minister Dalli, or anybody else in the Health Ministry, for that matter, really believes I have a personal agenda and that my lobbying is irresponsible and merely self-publicity, then all they have to do is ask for my resignation. I will be very happy to comply," Dr Carabot, GU Clinic consultant head, said.

Though Mr Dalli did not mention him by name when he spoke to The Times on Tuesday, Dr Carabot felt the minister was clearly referring to him. He was extremely irked by Mr Dalli's remarks when he said: "You write a lot of stuff in the newspaper because you are pushing your agenda or someone else's. Quote me on this! You have to be responsible because the agenda of the country is different than the agenda of individuals."

Dr Carabot retorted: "I would like to make it absolutely clear I have been actively lobbying for the introduction of a National Sexual Health Policy because I believe it to be essential for the health and well-being of our young people.

"It would be the easiest thing on earth to confine myself to seeing patients and stay out of controversies. But to do this I would be failing in my duties, as well as failing the very same patients I see," he added.

For the past decade, Dr Carabot has been the only public health official consistently campaigning to raise awareness as youngsters continue having rampant unprotected casual sex. He has also been pushing to have a National Sexual Health Policy that would give the country direction but, despite the efforts - since 1999 three drafts have been prepared, it failed to be included in the 2010 Budget.

A day after Monday's Budget, Mr Dalli insisted the policy should have been included and implied it had been withdrawn by the Finance Ministry. In reply, a ministry spokesman had said that every ministry presented its shopping list but it was impossible to include every proposal. Sources had said that if the policy was going to be implemented in an effective, comprehensive way it would cost "hundreds of thousands of euros", which would explain why it was left out.

However, the policy is crucial to the island's sexual health because, once published, it will provide the framework and overall direction of where Malta should be going.

Dr Carabot has long been harping on the need to raise awareness about sexually-transmitted diseases and pushing to see the policy's introduction, especially since 70 per cent of the nearly 14,000 people who visited the GU Clinic since 2000 never used a condom.