Condoms

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will distribute over 250,000 free condoms to Nigerians to mark the 2020 International Condom Day (ICD). This is contained in a press statement signed by Steve Aborisade, Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria.

According to the press statement: “February 12^th through 14^th, 2020, will show Nigerians how ‘Safer is Fun’ and why we urgently need to take advocacy for condom access to a higher level this International Condom Day (ICD) by joining AIDS Healthcare Foundation(AHF),the largest global AIDS organization with over1.3million lives in care across 43 countries, as we commemorate ICD with exciting events in our states of operation!

“AHF has a long tradition of popular activities on ICD—an informal internationalcelebration typically observed in conjunction with Valentine’s Day. This year is no different – AHF-Nigeria teams across the states are planning entertaining and educational “Safer is Fun” activitieswith a poignant advocacy message: People cannot take charge of their health if widespread stockouts, shortages and unaffordable pricesfor condoms continue! Help us spread the word by joining us for fun, advocacy and plenty of free AHF-branded LOVE and ICON Gold condoms!

‘‘This year, In an effort to support the Nigerian national condom policy – the Total Marketing Approach, to bridge Nigeria’s annual Condom Gap of about 600million, AHF-Nigeria is collaborating with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and NOI Polls in a nationwide survey on the condom culture of Nigerians. Survey findings shall be disseminated during a Press Conference slated for Wednesday, February 13th 2020 by 9:30 AM prompt at the NACA office in Abuja. In similar regard, a road-walk shall take off from Wuse Market by 9:30 AM and terminate at the Zone 3 shopping complex, for the HIV testing component of the exercise. Testing activities shall also take place across all AHF-Nigeria program states of: Benue, Kogi, AkwaIbom, Cross River, Nasarawa, Anambra and Abuja’’, said Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF-Nigeria Country Program Director.

 “Getting free condoms to people who need them most has always been a priority for AHF, but we’re stepping up our advocacy even more around the world in 2020 to help break down barriers to access, becausecondoms remain the most cost-effective option we have for preventing HIV, STIs and unplanned pregnancies,” said AHF Chief of Global Policy and Advocacy Terri Ford. “The events held by our country teams bring community members together to learn how to best protect themselves and their partners and are also a blast for all attendees. We encourage everyone across the 43 countries where AHF operates to get out and find a ‘Safer is Fun’ ICD event near you – we need your support to show the world the demand for condoms is strong and condom access must improve!”

“International Condom Day is also a great way to remind people everywhere that HIV and STIs are still major global health threats—but threats that can be avoided by regularly and correctly using condoms,” added AHF President Michael Weinstein. “There are 1.7 million new HIV infections annually and more than 1 million new cases of curable STIs every day, according to UNAIDS and the World Health Organization, respectively. That is unacceptable when those conditions are one hundred percent preventable—governments and global health organizations must do more to ensure people have easy access to free or affordable condoms.”

Thank you for your support.”