Maseru,Feb.05 — As they prepare for international condoms day scheduled for February 13, Ministry of health through District Health Management Team( DHMT), Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) held a meeting in Maseru to discuss the importance of using condoms to remember the international Condoms day, under the motor “JUST USE IT”.
Condom were mentioned as the best prevention method against sexually transmitted diseases (STI’s) HIV/AIDS and unwanted or unplanned pregnancies.
During the discussion, Mrs Sebabatso Lentsoenyane, advocacy and marketing officer from AHF she said Lesotho people should promote correct and resistant condoms use.
“We advocate for free and affordable condoms therefore they are available at clinics and other places where we get services. Together let us fight the stigma and misinformation against the usage of condoms” Mrs Lentsoenyane added.
Mrs Mots’elisi Phakisi, an assistant representative from UNFPA stated that not the condom usage has decreased rapidly and that the increase of unwanted and unplanned pregnancy has increased to 17 percent excluding teenager pregnancy.
“I do not want people to forget that we still have STIs, HIV and AIDS new incidents from last year increased to 4500 people and that means international condoms day is very important and people should be aware of that, and I would like to urge the youth to use condoms because prevention is better that cure! We would appreciate if this message spreads to every part of Lesotho,” Mrs phakisi added.
Mrs Malintle Mosenene a senior counselor at AHF Maseru mentioned from her point of view, that the government is working hard to make sure that the condoms are accessible freely at every health facilities because they are the best in preventing pregnancy.
“We want to teach people the way to use condoms and the way to dispose them. I do not want people to be carried away by peer pressure of not using condoms because we even have a case of older men sleeping with younger girls in promise of money, we need them to protect themselves”, Mrs Malintle Mosenene clarified.
Mr. Thabo Lebaka a program Analyst of HIV at UNFPA Maseru showed that they bought over a million male condoms and hundred thousand female condoms and their reports show that the most used condoms are male condoms, woman are still inclined to using male condoms.
“It is not a must for woman to take a long time with a condom anymore, we are dedicated to educating on the usage of new invented female condoms and for males we have a variety of condoms they can choose from according to their preferences because we want to cut the stigma of unprotected intimacy” said Mr Lebaka.
During the discussion, it was mentioned that it is 100% safe to use a condom as long as people do not use an expired condom or if it does not tear, they should consider themselves safe from any diseases.
Mrs Manchela Kota, a counselor from AHF mentioned that it is important to know the best way to wear a condom for effective usage, she went on to show that intimacy is love between two people so it should be safe.
“It is important for woman to normalize being the one who put a condom on their significant other in order to be sure if it is well put so that it does not bust because prevention is very important”.
Ends/R.K
