Online Reporter
Robin Muchetu,Health and Gender Editor
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has raised concern over the low uptake of free public sector condoms saying users are shunning them as they are not ‘appealing’ or scented and is considering re-branding them.
Condoms in Zimbabwe are distributed for free in public health institutions, beauty salons, bars, office spaces and other public spaces in a bid to ensure that people prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STI’s), unwanted pregnancies and HIV infection.
However, the condoms are unscented and are in generic packaging devoid of any brand name, which is said to be causing and fuelling the shunning of the products. Names such as maDembare have popularly been used to call the condoms that come in a blue and white packaging.
Speaking to Parliament, the deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Mr Sleiman Kwidini suggested that if the condoms are re-branded and possibly scented and coloured, it could increase uptake and also prevent diseases from spreading. This was after some Parliamentarians raised issues of unavailability of condoms in health centres.
“The reality on the ground is, it is not about the shortage of condoms. It is the mindset of our population to use the condoms which are being provided by the Ministry. Sometimes they give it a different name, which people are not confident to use because maybe, I do not understand their reasons. They now favour the ones which are flavoured, which have a variety of colours, which are provided by the private players. With that, it is now a challenge to the Ministry,”.
He added: “We accept. They call them ‘zvikiti’, (they) are no longer socially acceptable to our users. Therefore, we want to make sure we rebrand so that they are socially acceptable, like the ones provided by the private players,” he said.
Deputy Minister Kwidini said the country has adequate condoms, which were procured in the context of HIV/AIDS prevention in Government institutions but the stigmatisation to these condoms is the one that is increasing new infections.
“As I am speaking, the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council, which is the one that distributes these condoms and also our outreach teams, which go out to different areas, will be having these condoms. However, you find some using them to manufacture cobra, others are using them for different uses other than what they were made to be used for. We have taken it into consideration to make sure that these ones, which we have, are socially acceptable,” he added.
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