UNFPA Says Cndom use critical
CONDOMS have been accepted as the critical component in the fight and prevention of the HIV/AIDS as well as other sexually transmitted diseases, condoms.
Not only do they work on the above mentioned but also are also effective for the preventing unintended pregnancies.
It is for this reason that United Nations Populations Fund Country Representative Dr Mary Otieno pointed out that the increasing condom availability, accessibility and use among those sexually active as a risk reduction strategy, is critical.
Dr Otieno said this during the handover ceremony of condom dispensers to the National AIDS Council of Zambia describing it as part of her organisation’s efforts to support the Zambian Government in its HIV prevention efforts.
“There is no doubt that Condoms are a critical component in a comprehensive and sustainable approach to the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and are effective for preventing unintended pregnancies,” she said.
She says Zambia has demonstrated that the HIV epidemic has been stabilized when compared to the situation in 2002.
Dr Otieno says the HIV prevalence rate has decreased by over a third from 15.6 percent in 2002 to 11.6 percent in 2016.
“Equally, the rate of new infections has reduced by 41 percent. The success of Zambia’s national HIV programme has put the country on the trajectory to achieving epidemic control,” she said.
However, with 46,000 new HIV infections in 2016 alone, Dr Etieno says Zambia still ranks among the 10 countries with the highest number of people living with HIV and AIDS.
She notes that the prevalence of HIV among women aged 15-59 remains unacceptably high at 14.9 percent compared to their male counterparts at 9.5 percent adding that the disparity by sex is most pronounced among young adults aged 20-24, where it is 4 times as high among females at 8.6 percent than males at 2.1 percent.
She says to meet Zambia’s 2016 commitment to ending the public health threat of the AIDS epidemic by 2030, concerted efforts, continued domestic investment and strong leadership within and across sectors is required.
The UNFPA is aware that low condom use is among the key drivers of HIV infections in Zambia, especially among young people where only 40 percent of girls and 49 percent of boys aged 15-24 used a condom at last high risk sex according to the 2014 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS).
She however notes that there is no question that condom use remains complementary to all other HIV prevention methods, including ART and PrEP, in particular when other STIs and unintended pregnancy are of concern.
“In this regard and acknowledging the effectiveness of this prevention commodity it is with great pleasure that I hand over 250condom dispenser’s to the National AIDS Council for distribution in Provinces with the highest HIV prevalence rates,” she says.
UNFPA believes that the dispensers will address some of the barriers that hinder access and use of condoms by those sexually active and /or at risk of HIV and STIs infection, as well as pregnancy.
She says the condom dispensers are valued at an estimated K370, 000 while in total the UNFPA has donated 431 condom dispensers valued at K639, 388.5 respectively.
“We are confident that the dispensers will be distributed and used for the intended purpose. Let me reiterate that, although condoms are part of most national HIV, STI and reproductive health programmes, condoms have not been consistently distributed nor promoted proactively enough,” she said.
National condom distribution and sales can be strengthened by applying a total market approach that combines public sector distribution, social marketing and private sector sales.
She says the UNFPA remains committed to advocating for increased funding both external and domestic, as well as private sector investment in condom procurement, distribution and promotion.
And National AIDS Council Director General John Mwale commended the UNFPA’s gesture of donating 250 units of both male and female condom dispensers to his organisation for distribution around the country as part of the continued comprehensive HIV prevention programme.
Mr Mwale says effective condom programming and promotion is identified as one of the high impact interventions in the 2017-2021 National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework (NASF)m along with Voluntary Medical Circumcision.
Others are the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) and social behaviour change communication.
“I call upon community based organisation working in the area of HIV and AIDS to contribute to the steady supply of condoms to supplement the official supply chain from the Ministry of Health through Medical Stores,” he said.
CONDOMS have been accepted as the critical component in the fight and prevention of the HIV/AIDS as well as other sexually transmitted diseases, condoms.
Not only do they work on the above mentioned but also are also effective for the preventing unintended pregnancies.
It is for this reason that United Nations Populations Fund Country Representative Dr Mary Otieno pointed out that the increasing condom availability, accessibility and use among those sexually active as a risk reduction strategy, is critical.
Dr Otieno said this during the handover ceremony of condom dispensers to the National AIDS Council of Zambia describing it as part of her organisation’s efforts to support the Zambian Government in its HIV prevention efforts.
“There is no doubt that Condoms are a critical component in a comprehensive and sustainable approach to the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and are effective for preventing unintended pregnancies,” she said.
She says Zambia has demonstrated that the HIV epidemic has been stabilized when compared to the situation in 2002.
Dr Otieno says the HIV prevalence rate has decreased by over a third from 15.6 percent in 2002 to 11.6 percent in 2016.
“Equally, the rate of new infections has reduced by 41 percent. The success of Zambia’s national HIV programme has put the country on the trajectory to achieving epidemic control,” she said.
However, with 46,000 new HIV infections in 2016 alone, Dr Etieno says Zambia still ranks among the 10 countries with the highest number of people living with HIV and AIDS.
She notes that the prevalence of HIV among women aged 15-59 remains unacceptably high at 14.9 percent compared to their male counterparts at 9.5 percent adding that the disparity by sex is most pronounced among young adults aged 20-24, where it is 4 times as high among females at 8.6 percent than males at 2.1 percent.
She says to meet Zambia’s 2016 commitment to ending the public health threat of the AIDS epidemic by 2030, concerted efforts, continued domestic investment and strong leadership within and across sectors is required.
The UNFPA is aware that low condom use is among the key drivers of HIV infections in Zambia, especially among young people where only 40 percent of girls and 49 percent of boys aged 15-24 used a condom at last high risk sex according to the 2014 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS).
She however notes that there is no question that condom use remains complementary to all other HIV prevention methods, including ART and PrEP, in particular when other STIs and unintended pregnancy are of concern.
“In this regard and acknowledging the effectiveness of this prevention commodity it is with great pleasure that I hand over 250condom dispenser’s to the National AIDS Council for distribution in Provinces with the highest HIV prevalence rates,” she says.
UNFPA believes that the dispensers will address some of the barriers that hinder access and use of condoms by those sexually active and /or at risk of HIV and STIs infection, as well as pregnancy.
She says the condom dispensers are valued at an estimated K370, 000 while in total the UNFPA has donated 431 condom dispensers valued at K639, 388.5 respectively.
“We are confident that the dispensers will be distributed and used for the intended purpose. Let me reiterate that, although condoms are part of most national HIV, STI and reproductive health programmes, condoms have not been consistently distributed nor promoted proactively enough,” she said.
National condom distribution and sales can be strengthened by applying a total market approach that combines public sector distribution, social marketing and private sector sales.
She says the UNFPA remains committed to advocating for increased funding both external and domestic, as well as private sector investment in condom procurement, distribution and promotion.
And National AIDS Council Director General John Mwale commended the UNFPA’s gesture of donating 250 units of both male and female condom dispensers to his organisation for distribution around the country as part of the continued comprehensive HIV prevention programme.
Mr Mwale says effective condom programming and promotion is identified as one of the high impact interventions in the 2017-2021 National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework (NASF)m along with Voluntary Medical Circumcision.
Others are the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) and social behaviour change communication.
“I call upon community based organisation working in the area of HIV and AIDS to contribute to the steady supply of condoms to supplement the official supply chain from the Ministry of Health through Medical Stores,” he said.
