Mathatisi Sebusi
CONDOM use to prevent HIV/AIDS is very low among young women and adolescent girls in Lesotho, according to the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
Only 47 percent of young women and adolescent girls were using condoms during sex.
The young women and girls were encouraged to use condoms during sexual intercourse, especially with their non-regular partners (sugar daddies), for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, and unwanted pregnancies. But this was not happening with uptake of condom use very ow in this target group.
This is according to study, UNAIDS 2021 Estimates, lamenting the low use of condoms by young women and adolescent girls. The numbers are very low compared to their male counterparts who recorded 68 percent in the usage of condoms.
These estimates further state that out of the targeted 90 percent of sex workers, 86 percent of female sex workers use condoms while male sex workers stand at 83 percent.
The statistics were announced by National AIDS Commission (NAC) executive director, Lebohang Mothae, during the commemoration of International Condom Day last week.
Ms Mothae said non usage of condoms, exposed and increased the risk and vulnerability of young people to new HIV infections.
Ms Mothae said she could not over-emphasize the importance of bringing visibility back to the condom: a safe, inexpensive, and highly effective tool to prevent transmission of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and unplanned pregnancies.
“This day is a reminder that condoms are the cornerstone of HIV prevention efforts, providing a simple yet effective barrier method that can significantly reduce the risk of transmission,” Ms Mothae said.
“They (condoms) do not only protect individuals but also contribute to broader public health outcomes by helping to control the spread of HIV/AIDS.”
Ms Mothae added that the Lesotho HIV Strategic Plan (LHSP) 2023/2024-2027/2028 released in December 2023, recommended consistent use of condoms, promotion of information and education on gender equity, gender-based violence prevention, among other measures to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.
She said other measures recommended by the LHSP were decentralisation of distribution of condoms and lubricants, as well as implementation of the Lesotho Condom Strategy and its scaling up.
Additionally, Ms Mothae said there was also need to scale up information dissemination on condoms and lubricants as well as integrated and people centred HIV services.
“Today let us affirm our commitment to promoting condom use as a key component of comprehensive HIV prevention strategies,” she said.
“Let us work together to educate communities, empower individuals and break down barriers that prevent people from accessing condoms and other essential sexual services.”
Added Ms Mothae: “As we observe International Condom Day, let us recommit ourselves to the HIV/AIDS response, and pledge accelerated HIV prevention through proper and consistent use of condoms, innovative means and pathways to increase access to condoms, sustain accessibility, and correct and consistent use of condoms.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday that it had joined communities and its partner entities in celebrating International Condom Day on 13 February 2024.
WHO echoed NAC’s sentiments, that it was vital to bring visibility back to the condom as “a safe, inexpensive and highly effective tool” in the prevention of HIV transmission, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies.
The Lesotho Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (LePHIA) report of 2020 indicated that Lesotho had a generalized HIV epidemic, with a national prevalence of 22.7%, translating to 324,000 people aged 15 years above living with HIV.