Myths derailing female condom distribution in Malawi

The Hunger Project in Malawi has described myths and cultural norms as the major challenges that they are facing in the distribution of female condoms across the country.

This was said on Saturday at the commemoration of the Global Female Condom Day in the country which took place at Blantyre youth centre.

Speaking after the function, country director of Hunger Project Malawi Rowlands Kaotcha said the project of sensitising and educating people about the female condoms is currently going on well and people are responding positively to it.

“Even though we are meeting challenge like believes that some people say that the female condom can destroy the uterus and cause death, we are still happy because the number of condoms we used to distribute has risen from 100,000 to over 1 million which shows that we are progressing with the project,” said Kaotcha.

He then advised sex workers and all users of the condoms that they should use one female condom with one male because if they use the same female condom with different men there is danger of contracting some sexually transmitted diseases.

In his words, minister of youth, sports, labour and manpower development Henry Mussa asked the organisers to reach sex workers and bottles stores with the condoms saying his ministry will sit down with ministry of education to discuss on how best they can disseminate the information to public schools across the country.

He also asked organisations in the country to put some of the messages in vernacular language for people to easily understand them.

The event brought together some NGOs, government officials, traditional leaders, students, parents and officials from the public sector.

People who attended the function were entertained by music from Nepman, Zig Zero, and W Twice as well as poems, dances, drama and a netball game between Thunder Queens and Tigresses.