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Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
PROSTITUTES in Masvingo yesterday raised concern over condoms that are offered to people for free, saying they are of poor quality thus expose them to diseases.
The hookers who were participating at a two-day Batanai HIV and Aids Service Organisation (BHASO) advocacy workshop which ended yesterday at a local hotel said some of their clients refuse to use certain condoms that are considered to be of low quality. This leaves some with no option but to indulge in sex without protection.
The prostitutes also said due to the love of money they are sometimes tempted to have sex without protection as some clients refuse to use the condoms.
They also said most of them prefer to use male condoms to female ones as the latter were not user-friendly.
A sex worker who identified herself only as Queen and operates from Ngundu Growth Point said there is a need to improve the quality of condoms given for free to ensure people’s safety from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) .
She claimed some condoms which are popularly known as ‘‘MaDembare” are not user-friendly as well.
“We have free condoms given in hospitals and are called MaDembare. We do not want those because our clients do not want to use them. Some men bring their own condoms saying, they do not feel comfortable to use MaDembare because they are of poor quality,” said Queen.
Speaking at the same occasion, BHASO field officer Ms Kumbirai Mahaso said the issue of poor quality condoms has been raised at most advocacy meetings they have held with sex workers.
She said they would raise the issue with policy makers.
“We are going to take those grievances to the next level so that they can be addressed. We have heard these complaints from sex workers and we have offered to have it addressed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
“The condoms given for free are the ones problematic as they say they scare away their clients with others saying they risk contracting or transmitting the HIV virus,” said Ms Mahaso. — @walterbmswazie2
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