The number of people testing positive for the sexually transmitted infections, genital herpes and chlamydia, rose significantly in Dublin last year, a report has shown.

According to the 2012 Annual Report of the Dublin Well Woman Centre, which covers three centres in the county, there was a 72% increase in the number of positive results for genital herpes last year and a 35% increase in positive chlamydia results.

This is the second highest chlamydia rate seen in the last 10 years.

Commenting on the figures, Well Woman chief executive, Alison Begas, insisted that this issue must be urgently addressed by the Government. She described the increase in cases of genital herpes and chlamydia as ‘extremely alarming'.

"We are concerned that women who are now accessing emergency contraception over-the-counter in community pharmacies are missing out on a holistic sexual health consultation.

"To combat this, we are calling for a nurse supplied emergency contraception service as part of the National Sexual Health Strategy, as we believe this will help provide a lower-cost sexual health consultation, which would fit well with the stated intention of the Minister for Health to provide healthcare services at the ‘lowest level of complexity'," Ms Begas explained.

The Department of Health began the development of a National Sexual Health Strategy last year and it is due to be published this coming autumn.

"From Well Woman's clinical experience over our 35-year existence, it is clear that Ireland's sexual health needs have changed. While many of these changes are positive, women and men are now more exposed to more STIs than ever before and the services must be in place to meet these needs," Ms Begas insisted.

Meanwhile, the report also revealed that the number of women opting for long-acting reversible contraceptive devices (LARCs), such as the IUD (intrauterine device), rose by 28% last year compared to 2011. According to Well Woman, this suggests that an increasing number of women are opting for long-acting methods rather than taking the oral contraceptive pill.

"LARCs are available in both hormonal and non-hormonal forms and are often used by women who have difficulty remembering to take an oral contraceptive pill correctly or who simply prefer a ‘fit-and-forget' option," explained the organisation's medical director, Dr Shirley McQuade.

Well Woman provides a range of primary healthcare, family planning, counseling and sexual health services. For more information, click here