Low condom usage worries Uganda Cares Health Activists

BY BRIAN MUGENYI

The Health activists under AHF Uganda Cares have raised concern over low condom usage, despite condoms being one of the most effective preventive measures available.

According to AHF Uganda Cares country programs director Henry Magala, though the government waived the taxes on importation of condoms, they are still stuck with the hefty charges they face in terms of verification fees for the condoms that come into the country.

Magala said that continued charging of any fees on the condoms discourages people that would want to bring in free condoms donated, and they are very sensitive to any charge we call upon the government to waive off any charges removed from condoms that enters into the country.

“It may not be too much money, but any kind of charges removed from medical supplies which are brought into the country like condoms, yet they are given out free of charge, may scare away partners that would like to support condom supply and distribution in the country, so we ask NDA to waive off this inspection fees as well as it was done on importation fees” he added.

The activists argue that the government should take up the task and verify the condoms for free as a way of supporting implementing patterns that would like to bring in condoms.

According to AHF Uganda cares country program director Henry Magala, the complacence of citizens has led to a rise in new infections in the country, asking members of the public to always use condoms since they come with triple protection of STIs, pregnancy and HIV.

“Condoms are still the best option to people to keep safe during intimacy, but people are still reluctant on using condoms, which is the reason we’re still getting high numbers of new infections, yet they may be reduced significantly since the condom gives up to 95% protection and the international condom day should be used to make more awareness campaign about condom use’. He added.

He however raised concern over the hefty charges they have to party with to have consignments of imported condoms into the country.

Magala says that if the inspection fees are lifted, there will be more condoms brought in the country and fill the gaps that are in community because some communities are still grappling with the issue of limited supplies of condoms.

However in the Born Again catholic setting, the use of condoms among marriage couples is heavenly condemed and couples are advised to produce children as it is a God-given blessings.

This publication has established that AHF Pays over shs 300,000 for every batch, about of 5million for every 2 million imported condoms into the country. AHF imports over 50 million condoms in the past years since 2009.

He however raised concern over complacence of citizens which he said has led to a rise in new infections in the country, asking members of the public to always use condoms since they come with triple protection of STIs, pregnancy and HIV.

“Condoms are still the best option to people to keep safe during intimacy, but people are still reluctant on using condoms, which is the reason we’re still getting high numbers of new infections, yet they may be reduced significantly since the condom gives up to 95% protection and the international condom day should be used to make more awareness campaign about condom use’. He added.

Kalungu district health officer, raised concern over the reducing number of people using condom in the district, which risks the community to surging HIV prevalence rate.

He however said that the district is stuck with the challenge of emerging black spots for new HIV infections, asking the government and the implementing partners to help the district scale up sensitization campaigns and condom distributions in this area.

He says that the most affected areas include Lwabenge, Kalungu Town council, and several villages in Lukaya town council among other areas.

 “We are considering dedicating the percentage of the district budget set aside for supporting HIV Prevention to buying condom dispensers and procurement of condoms so that the emerging black spots in the district can also be catered for since these may be bleeding centers for new HIV infections in the district if they are not taken care of.” He added.

Dr Cecilia Nattembo the regional medical director for Uganda cares in south-western region said that to improve medical services and treatment of sexually transmitted infections in the region they have added another facility named Kalungu wellness center which she said will be a specialized center for treatment of STIs.

She said reminded people to embrace the uptake of all preventive measusres especially condom use as they enter into the valentine’s weekend.

“As we (AHF Uganda Cares) fight HIV, we also need to fight STIs and in these two specialized wellness clinics in the country Kalungu was selected to be one of the centers with the wellness centers and another is in Kampala and these centers will be having compressive tests and treat of STIs asking people of the region to make good use of this facility” she added.

 Boniface Epuku the program lead for condom programming at ministry of health, said the ministry is now implementing a comprehensive combinations approach to fight HIV/AIDS saying that condoms remain the most effective preventive measure saying that with the correct state of impending cuts of support in HIV Treatment the country need to resume to the basics which involves condom use asking people to embrace condom use.

He said that the ministry of health and AHF Uganda Cares dedicated this year’s international condom day commemoration because of it being an active area for new HIV Infections asking the citizens and religious leaders in the area to be advocates of condom use since some communities had relaxed in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

“Effective condom use is the only tap which we can use to close new HIV infections, and ministry is committed to ensure that the condoms are available, and the ministry is considering procuring more condom dispensers, and condoms and annually government procure about 200 million condoms and at situations where funding is going down, we need to do more condom distribution, that is why we are procuring over 10,000 condom dispenser and the new emerging black spots in the country including those in Kalungu will be considered” he added.