Inter Press Service - November 6, 2002
Rosemary Nalisa

It was also meant to allow women to take decisions in their sexual relationships and not to rely on their male partners to decide on their behalf.

However, the condoms, which are now widely available at hospitals and pharmacies throughout the Southern African country, have been received with mixed feelings due to perceptions attached to them by consumers.

Some women have refused to use them because, they say, the condoms are uncomfortable, while others say they make noise during sex. In Namibia's northeastern region of Caprivi, the female condom has become popular for a different reason; women make traditional jewellery out of it.

The female condom has two rings that allow for proper insertion, the inner smaller ring and the outer bigger ring which allow the condom to stay in place during sexual intercourse. But the Caprivi women use the rings as bangles to decorate their arms.

Agnes Mwilima, who is Senior Health Programme Administrator for Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases at the Caprivi General Hospital, says, although the practice of using the rings as jewellery have been observed, they are just common among those who are still ignorant about the purpose of Femidom.

''Women have changed their perception about the female condom, especially those who are enlightened. I know of people who collect them on a regular basis from my office and when we sometimes run out of stock they even buy them from pharmacies,'' says Mwilima.

She also says they ''had people who were scared that they will not be able to urinate if they have the female condom on. Such questions just tell you that more campaigns need to be carried out in the villages, towns and cities to teach women about their anatomy and encourage them to use the female condom whenever they have sex with their partners, so that they can get used to them.''

Mwilima says health authorities have not yet established whether or not the women in the Caprivi region were getting the rings from used condoms or new ones. She says if they were getting them from used condoms then it is a health hazard, while using new ones is also unfortunate as it will be hard for distributors to come up with accurate statistics on their use in Namibia. But, Mwilima has admitted that the female condom is going through teething problems that need to be addressed through extensive educational campaigns.

A woman, who spoke to IPS on condition of anonymity, says ''the female condom works for me because I can insert it before I go out to bars. People sometimes forget to use condoms when they are too intoxicated and only regret later when they have contracted HIV or any other sexually transmitted diseases. The Femidom can be worn in advance and this helps.''

Although the women in the Caprivi region are reluctant to use female condoms, the region has the highest HIV infection rate in the country. The bi-annually HIV Survey carried out on pregnant women in 2000 showed that the region had the highest infection rate. Out of 200 tests that were done on pregnant women, 65 were positive, a figure that represents a 33-percent infection rate in a population of 91,000.

The Ministry of Women Affairs, which is coordinating the distribution of female condoms, along with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), says Femidom aims to empower women to overcome cultural norms and beliefs which prevented them from negotiating sex with their partners.

Juliet Kurirao, of the department of Gender Mainstreaming and Reproductive Health at the Ministry of Women Affairs, says more training need to be offered to both men and women in order to encourage them to communicate with their partners about the correct use of condom.

''With the high rate of HIV/AIDS infection in the country, women cannot depend on their partners to decide their destiny, they have to take the lead and the Femidom is their main weapon in protecting themselves from the disease,'' says Karirao.

She says the Ministry of Health has begun training medical officials on the use of Femidom, a knowledge that they will later pass on to women who do not know how to use them.

A survey conducted this year on condom use by the Namibia Social Marketing (NASOMA), a non-governmental organisation, shows that most women are aware of the existence of condoms, although some do not use them.

Some of the women say their partners do not approve of them using Femidom, due to the negative perceptions attached to the life-saving gadget.

At least 230,000 people in Namibia are HIV-positive, while more than 30,000 died from AIDS-related illnesses last year alone.(END/IPS/AF/HE/RN/MN/02)

021106
IP021105

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .