By Solister Mogha
Zomba, Mana: As a way of promoting uptake of sexual reproductive health services among the youth,Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) distributed over 7, 000 condoms to University of Malawi students during their social weekend.
Apart from contraceptives, the organisation also provided various sexual reproductive health and HIV services.
Speaking during the event, FPAM Coordinator, Jimmy Kachale, said through Unified Budget Results and Accountability Framework Project, FPAM was implementing various health interventions including promotion of uptake of sexual reproductive health services.
According to Kachale, several research findings have shown that there is low uptake of sexual reproductive health services by Malawians including the youth.
He said to provoke interest among the youth, FPAM planned to support the institution of higher learning, formerly Chancellor College (Chanco), during the cultural social weekend celebrations.
“Through the Project, FPAM is providing integrated sexual reproductive health and rights, and HIV and Gender Based Violence (GBV) services including referrals targeting sex workers.
“Today, we are supporting the University of Malawi with Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)-condom campaign to promote sexual reproductive health and HIV services uptake among young people,” said Kachale.
He described the distribution of 7,000 condoms a good start for the campaign and hoped the demand would continue increasing.
FPAM has also trained peer educators in all regions of the country whose job is to encourage fellow peers to take reproductive health services.
Obna Sungani, a fourth-year student and peer educator said University of Malawi is one of the colleges with high cases of HIV and AIDS as well as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to the loose life by the students.
He, therefore, applauded FPAM for providing sexual and reproductive health services to the students and for considering the college to have peers.
“Honestly, a lot happens at this college, therefore, bringing SRH services closer to the institution has more benefits than demerits,” he said.
The cultural social weekend started on Friday and was characterised by music played by DJ Moda.
However, four students, according to FPAM, were referred for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP-medicine taken to prevent getting HIV)services having had unprotected sex.
The title and the content are giving two different ideas then. Just because FPAM distributed over 7000 condoms it doesnt imply that all of them were used. This is manipulating the image of the college.