By Agencies
MORE than 200 000 condoms were used in three months in Seke District, according to the National Aids Council (NAC).
The district has a quarterly uptake of 200 000 male condoms while female condoms have a range of 5 000 to 10 000.
NAC District Aids Coordinator for Seke, Florence Nyandoro, told H-Metro that the difference in uptake was due to the sensitisation of male condoms, which preceded female condoms.
“What happens is that the female condom awareness campaign came way later than the male condom.
“Otherwise, awareness of the female condom is increasing, which has resulted in an improvement in its uptake.
“We are telling our community cadres to promote the female condom as much as the male condom.
“We are hoping with time, uptake of the female condom will be as high as the male condom.”
Nyandoro said they had also observed that in discordant couples, males would take female condoms for their partners.
“The other commendable thing we have observed is females are also taking male condoms.
“There are very few cases in discordant couples where males take the female condom for their partners.
“This is very interesting and we are encouraging and promoting the use of condoms because of their dual protection against STIs and HIV,” she said.
Nyandoro dispelled the myth and misinformation that some condoms are small for certain individuals.
“Condoms are manufactured in a one-size-fits-all technique.
“There is no such thing as small unusable condoms.
“We don’t encourage such mindsets.“If we give people accurate information, this promotes usage of condoms, thus protecting people from unwanted pregnancies, STIs and HIV.”
She warned against the use of herbal sex enhancement concoctions, saying people should rather visit medical practitioners if they have a problem.
–Hmetro
