Mzuni ends stigma against condom
Stigma associated with a condom and its use among the youth in the country was over the weekend brought to an end at Mzuzu University (Mzuni) during the Condomize! Malawi Campaign.
Condomise campaign is a United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) programme that wants to increase condom use among the youth.
It aims to achieve this by ending stigma through distribution of condoms, educating the youth on correct use and negotiating with them to use condoms consistently for protection.
The campaign started on Friday night with performances by Piksy, Maskal and Black Jack.
But it reached its climax on Saturday afternoon when Joy the DJ (Joy Nathu) started the show by mixing various songs as the youth were viewing and collecting various types of condoms displayed in the pavilions.
He left the stage for performances by Piksy, Maskal and Black Jack who were backed by Madziko Band.
During the show, the youth were educated on correct use of both a male and female condom.
Condoms and condom branded T-shirts and sun glasses were also distributed. UNFPA senior HIV and aids technical advisor Bidia Deperthesis said in an interview after the show that they had achieved their objective as the show attracted a lot of youth.
The 2010 Malawi Demographic Health Survey shows that minimal condom use by the youth is a major contributing factor to high HIV infection and fertility rates among them.
The HIV prevalence rate among adolescents and young people between the ages of 14 and 24 is at 6.4 percent and the adolescent birth ratae is at 152 per 1 000 live births. Condomize! is a joint programme of the UNPFA and The Condom Project in partnership with UNaids and the Condom Inter-Agency Task Team.
Malawi is the first UNFPA country to roll-out the campaign which is spearheaded by the Ministry of Youth. The campaign moves to College of Medicine in Blantyre next weekend.
