By Aubrey Kashoni (Mana) and Mwiza Pachalo (Malawi Voice)

Thyolo District Youth Friendly Health Services Coordinator Steven Dimba on Tuesday said there has been a drop in usage of condoms in the district.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA), Dimba said that in 2020, 28106 males and 18 306 females accessed condoms while in 2021, 26399 males and 22 257 females utilized condoms representing a 6.8 percent decrease.

“We registered 31812 young people as new clients and 18551 as revisits (old clients) in 2020 but now the numbers has gone down in such a way that in 2021 we only recorded 28040 clients and 16665 revisits.

“The reduction in uptake of condoms has gone down because of lack of awareness by young people on availability of condoms, shyness, long distances and myths misconceptions on condom use, “Dimba said.

He added that young people have low knowledge on the importance of condoms and how to use them properly and consistently and this may in turn lead to many unplanned pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs),” he said.

But in an interview with Malawi Voice, one of the youth who opted for anonymity said:”These condoms seem to be manufactured for other people, not us (Thoyo Youths) because I tried one day to put on a condom but it remained in the middle.”

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