As the nation concluded the National Condom Week on Friday 17 February, scores of Langa residents converged at Langa Police Station to raise awareness about the importance of using condoms.
The event was organised by Langa clinic staff and Langa police to educate the communities about the dangers of having unprotected sex as part of Condom Week, celebrated from Monday 13 until Friday 17 February.
Sister Mandisa Ngema from Langa clinic described the awareness as a health drive.
“We aim to encourage the community to take care of their bodies. We also encouraged them to use condoms every time they engage in sex.
“We also educated them that having unprotected sex can lead them to getting HIV/Aids, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, etc,” she said.
Ngema stated that most men refused to visit clinics for a health examination.
“We encourage partners to come to the clinic together because it is useless for one partner to come to the clinic and leave the other one behind.
“That means that disease will resurface every time they engage in sex,” she said.
Langa police spokesperson Capt Nondumiso Paul said they aim to educate the community about the importance of using condoms.
“We encourage people to use condoms to prevent pregnancy and other contagious diseases.
“As police, we feel it is everyone’s responsibility to prioritise their health,” said Paul.
She described the event as promoting communication between partners. She said the country has failed because couples did not communicate in their relationship.
“Understand that before the couple engages in sex they first talk about condom usage.
“That engagement solidifies their relationship and builds trust between them. It also opens a platform to talk about other things that are sexually related,” said Paul.
Resident Siziwe Mafu described the session as productive and educational. She said it opened her mind.
“Communication is in a relationship because it builds trust,” she said, adding that she uses a condom every time she has sex.
