A call has been made for research to be conducted following an apparent decline in condom use and a rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
According to the City of Cape Town, the use of male condoms dropped from 30,6 million in the 2019-’20 financial year to 16 085 200 in 2020-’21 financial year.
In addition, the use of female condoms dropped from 954 599 to 305 400 during the same period. The drop has been partially attributed to people staying at home due to lockdown restrictions.
With February regarded as the STI and Condom Month, the City is urging citizens to use the condoms and have health checks while taking charge of their reproductive well-being. The call has been endorsed by the Khayelitsha Health Forum (KHF).
The City says the use of male condoms has nearly halved, while the use of female condoms is just more than a third of the previous year. This is the second consecutive year which shows a decline, said the City.
“The decline in the use of prophylactics is concerning, especially when coupled with the rise in STIs. With February the month of love, I want to challenge both men and women to start loving themselves first and take the necessary precautions with regard to their reproductive well-being,” said the City’s Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Patricia van der Ross.
“STIs need not be a big problem as most of the infections can be cured. Reluctance to seek medical treatment because of the fear of being stigmatised is one of many reasons why many wait until it’s too late. The consequences of not seeking treatment can be devastating and life threatening.”
KHF chair Mzanywa Ndibongo said most people have dropped their guard on many health issues due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“So many people were worried and scared of Covid-19 and in the process lost focus on many other health matters,” he said. “We continue to urge our communities to use protection when engaged in sex, as condoms protect in a lot of things.”
Ndibongo reminded communities that condoms help in protecting against STI’s, unwanted pregnancies and against HIV.
“People need to realise condoms should be part of their lives as they protect their health,” he said. “We have heard people saying they are not used to condoms or don’t feel joy in using them. But we believe that needs to be looked into and research be conducted around that so that everything is clear.”
City clinics provide services and medication free of charge and many facilities have dedicated time slots for youth-related health services, which is usually in the afternoons after school.
“You can get an STI even if you have sex only once with an infected partner,” said Van der Ross. “Untreated STIs can affect an unborn baby, cause mental illness or damage to the heart and kidneys, infertility as well as cancer of the sex organs.”
