At a time when the Ministry of Health is grappling with an acute shortage of medicine in public health facilities, another problem in the health sector has emerged in the form of shortage of condoms.
This was revealed by Botswana Family Welfare Association Maun Centre Manager, Jennifer Nchunga during a life skills for out of school children boot camp in Ditshiping last week.
“Male condoms are the most widely used condoms in Botswana, you put a box of condoms in a public place as is the norm, the next day it will be finished unlike the female condoms. Currently we are out of stock because of this high demand,” Nchunga explained.
Nchunga further revealed that currently female condoms are also out of stock but that is only because they expire in their store rooms because of low uptake.
“The government of Botswana has not ordered the female condoms because they are not utilised. People believe that they delay sexual intercourse as you have to wait hours after inserting it before you can actually penetrate, however that is no longer the case,” said Nchunga who went on to express concern over young women who have developed a habit of visiting their centre for contraceptives with the hopes of terminating pregnancy.
“Majority of these women believe contraceptive pills terminate pregnancy but that is not the case. When you come to our office we make sure to test you for pregnancy and enrol you for antenatal clinic if you test positive for pregnancy,“ revealed Nchunga.
Female condoms are out of stock like any other commodities not that they are not being procured as they are not utilized.They are less utilized and expired on shelves but they are expected to be back in facilities.