Though prevalence of HIV and AIDS has shown a downward trend in Vizag, officials of the medical department and Andhra Pradesh Aids Control Society (APSACS) are worried that that it might go up again what with nearly 40 per cent of sex workers stopping use of female condoms in Vizag.
The usage of female condoms declined to around 1,200 from 2,500 a month in Visakhapatnam district, over a period of three years. Officials say this could increase the risk of contracting AIDS. Earlier, usage of female condoms among sex workers in Vizag was good but that has come down for various reasons.
Female condoms were launched in Vizag, around four years back, to relieve women from unwanted pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases. However, only a few women, including a section of sex workers, are using the condoms due to lack of proper awareness about safety associated with them. Females condoms are much safer than male condoms.
Additional district medical and health officer (Aids and Leprosy) Dr Ronanki Ramesh said around 60 per cent of sex workers have preferred female condoms, primarily, for their usefulness with defiant and drunken clients, who refuse to use male condoms.
But owing to some pain during sex, there has been a decline in the percentage of sex workers using female condoms. Officials of APSACS, Visakhapatnam, said APSACS has been marketing two brands of female condoms (Rs 4 per peice), manufactured by Hindustan Latex Ltd and TTK group, in Vizag city in selective areas like Narsipatnam, Anakapalle, Nakkapalle, Tagarapuvalasa, Payakaraopeta and few other areas.
Medical experts faulted APSACS for failing to promote use of female condoms among sex workers. They wanted the society to give more publicity to the use of female condoms on mass media.
