The President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Michael Weinstein, has called on relevant stakeholders to ensure people get the tools needed to protect themselves as a way of curbing the yearly 1.7 million new HIV infections.
Weinstein stated this in a statement ahead of the 2021 International Condom Day (ICD).
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“We have always placed condom access high on our priority list.”
He added that the day presents a platform “to call for governments and public health institutions to ensure that people have the tools to protect themselves and their loved ones, which is especially important when we’re still seeing 1.7 million new HIV infections every year.”
He said this numbers is not acceptable “when we have the means to distribute condoms to people worldwide to keep them safe from preventable diseases.”
In Nigeria the event will be celebrated in Abuja, Kogi, Anambra, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom, Benue and Cross River state says AHF-Nigeria country Director, Dr. Echey Ijezie.
He said the organisation starting from February 12 to culminated on 14, would be providing free HIV testing, promote healthy lifestyles with the year’s theme of the ICD, “Always in Fashion”. This is in addition to free condom distribution to Nigerians.
The ICD is celebrated February 13, ahead of valentine with the aim of promoting creative condom marketing and their use, because condoms are still the most cost-effective method for preventing STIs and unplanned pregnancies says the organisation.