The government gave out 270-million male condoms last year, which is an 80% increase from 1997 when 150-million were distributed, the Department of Health said on Monday.
The department announced the figures at the launch of its Sexually Transmitted Infections/Condom Week, which runs from February 9 to 14.
The campaign’s theme is ”If you love me, respect me and protect me”, the department said in a statement.
The drive aims to educate people about the symptoms and risks associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and encourage people to tell their partners if they are infected.
Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said: ”South Africans should learn to respect the confidentiality between partners, and between a health worker and a patient, so that they are confident to reveal and manage their STI status.
”By learning about the symptoms, prevention and treatment of STIs, you can protect yourself and your partner from becoming infected.”
The campaign will also focus on motivating South Africans to seek health advice and treatment early.
”With focused prevention and treatment campaigns around the country, the incidence of most STIs, such as syphilis, has fallen over the last few years,” said Tshabalala-Msimang.
”Untreated sexual infections increase the vulnerability of being infected with HIV. While we can treat most other STIs, we still do not have a cure for HIV or AIDS, and HIV prevention, through safer sexual practices and STI treatment, must remain our primary line of defence against HIV infection,” she said.
The department said condoms and treatment for STIs are available at public clinics.
About 1,9-million cases of symptomatic STIs are treated each year in South Africa. The Health Department said this was little changed in the period 2000 to 2002.
”This translates into an annual incidence of 6,5% of new STI episodes treated at public-sector health facilities,” the statement read.
Female condoms were available at more than 200 clinics countrywide.
”In 2003 alone, 1,4-million female condoms were distributed.”
About one million public-sector condoms are distributed monthly at clinics and outlets such as spazas, taverns and hair salons.
During the Sexually Transmitted Infections/Condom Week, provinces will hold educational programmes and community events. A national STI event will be held in Humansdorp, Eastern Cape, on February 14. — Sapa