The World Health Organisation has said that governments must actively promote condom use in their countries so as to stigma attached with the use of condoms by young people and men and women in relationships.
In a statement, the WHO said promoting condom use will also curb the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
WHO said “Programmes promoting condoms must address stigma and gender-based and socio-cultural factors that hinder effective access and use of condoms.
“Only few programmes adequately address the barriers that hinder access and use of condoms by young people, key populations, and men and women in relationships.
“Quality-assured condoms must be readily available universally, either free or at low cost. Condom use in resource-limited settings is more likely when people can access them at no cost or at subsidized prices.
“HIV prevention programmes need to ensure that a sufficient number and variety of quality assured condoms are accessible to people who need them, when they need them.
“Collective actions at all levels are needed to support the efforts of countries that depend on external assistance for condom procurement, promotion, and distribution and to increase domestic funding and private sector investment in condom distribution and promotion.”
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