Eastern Cape teens to get a taste of bright, new condoms

NEW flavoured condoms will soon replace the “smelly, unattractive” ones distributed to teens in tertiary institutions and government health departments in the Eastern Cape.

They will be available in strawberry, banana and grape flavours and in a range of bright colours.

The move is aimed at encouraging the youth to practise safe sex and eradicate the spread of the HIV-Aids virus and teenage pregnancies.

The provincial government will launch the new condoms at the University of Fort Hare this month.

Eastern Cape Health MEC Dr Phumza Dyantyi said the condoms would first be distributed in tertiary institutions and later in all government health facilities.

The move comes after a study revealed that the youth shied away from using the old Choice condoms, which they described as smelly and unattractive.

According to the latest figures released by Stats SA, the Eastern Cape recorded the second-highest number of teenage pregnancies in 2013, after KwaZulu-Natal.

Dyantyi said: “It is important for us to promote a healthy lifestyle in all spheres of society and [the] government is moving with the times to encourage access to these new condoms.”

She said, however, that there was nothing wrong with the old condoms and encouraged members of the public to continue using them.

Anam Phendula, 20, said about the new condoms: “If they have a good odour I might consider using them.”

Anthony Carlse, 24, said: “The old condoms are too thick and you can’t feel the real thing. With the new condoms, I am hoping to see quality.”

Bongiwe Nana, 21 said: “The old condoms do not interest me, there is a lot of risk associated with them.”