Harare — WOMEN should urge their husbands to use condoms once they suspect infidelity if Government is to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, a cabinet minister has said.

The Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr David Parirenyatwa, said this while addressing people that had gathered at the opening ceremony of a temporary clinic in Murehwa North constituency.

"Women, if you are suspecting your husband of unfaithfulness, ask them to use condoms than to let the disease bite you and the future generation.

"I know it's hard for you to decide along those lines but you need to be firm in decision-making so that you are free from contracting sexually transmitted infections, HIV and Aids," said Dr Parire-nyatwa.

He also took the opportunity to commend the behaviour change by most men citing the drop in the number of people infected by HIV and Aids.

According to recent statistics, the number of people infected by HIV has dropped by 3 percent from 24 in 2003 to 21 percent this year.

"Looking at the issue of HIV, statistics in 2003 indicated that 24 in every 100 people were living with the virus and the figure has fallen to 21 in every 100 people so there is a significant change," said the minister.

He said this was part of the Government's initiative to empower women in the society to a balanced scenario of equal power sharing in all circumstances.

"It is one of the Government's intentions to make sure that by 2015 there be 50 percent women representation in parliament," he added.

MDGs also include fighting poverty, improving the education system in the country and seconding women to challenging positions of authority among other things.