
As Kenya joins the world in marking the International Condom Day, communities have been challenged to make condom use among adolescents an open dialogue to tame HIV prevalence in the country.
Further, health experts are urging the communities to embrace condom use to safeguard themselves from contracting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
Speaking in Mombasa on Tuesday, health official from an anti-drug lobby Reachout Centre Trust (RCT) Daniel Waliama Juma noted that parents should not shy away from discussing about sex issues and safe sex with their young adolescents since they are actively engaging in sexual activities.
According to Waliama, the key objective of such health education is to prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections.
“Condom use is important in the fight against HIV prevalence among people actively engaging in sex. We should not shy away from embracing this safe sex practice,” he said.
At Reachout Centre Tust where the organisation deals with people with drug and substance use disorders, condom distribution to the target group is one of the key mandate that has reduced HIV prevalence among the target group.
“Since people using drugs also engage in sex, they are equally at high risk of contracting HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections if they will not get adequate information about condom use as a safe sex practice,” he noted.
Youth
The Health official also noted that the use of condoms during sex prevents unwanted pregnancies especially among the youth.
“I am reiterating this because it is a fact that our youth are actively engaging in sex. As parents instead of being defensive, we should embrace social dialogues with our children on matters safe sex to evert early pregnancies,” he said.
Mr Waliama further divulged that health education on condom and other safe sex practices should be a continuous course and at the grassroot level so that communities remain safe from contracting HIV and other STIs.
[Reachout Centre Trust Health Officer Daniel Waliama Juma, during the interview. Photo/James Kazungu Lamiri].
He called on working partners to accelerate health education to communities at the grassroots level to reduce HIV prevalence in the Coast region.
His sentiments come as the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday, February, 13 joined communities and partners globally in marking the International Condom Day.
“It is important to bring visibility back to this safe, inexpensive and highly effective tool to prevent transmission of HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies,” read part of the World Health Organisation’s statement.