7 April 2008
Lagos — It is now illegal to encourage the use of condoms in southeast Nigeria's Anambra State. The state government has also banned the advocacy and distribution of other forms of contraceptives including IUDs (intrauterine device) and any other "un-natural" birth control.
"Instead of teaching children how to use condoms to enjoy sex they should be taught total abstinence," the state commissioner for health, Amobi Ilika said when announcing the measures in late March at the state capital, Awka. "The use of condoms has greatly encouraged immorality," he said.
Many sociologists as well as family planning and AIDS support groups disagree. "I don't think it's the right step," public affairs analyst Alphonsus Ofodile said. "Even if you ban the use of condoms, people will still have sex. So why would a responsible government want to discourage safe sex?"
More than 3 million people - 3.9 percent of the adult population - are living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. The rate is rising by around 300,000 people a year, according to a 2006 estimate by the joint UN programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
Condoms are openly available throughout Nigeria partly because the federal government, in partnership with family health organisations, has programmes to distribute and sell them. The programmes also produce public announcements on local radio and billboards advocating for the use of condoms.
Many religious groups around the country also back condom use, having recognised that messages urging abstinence have failed to yield the desired results.
The population of Anambra State are not known for habouring particularly fundamentalist beliefs but the ban may have been designed to appeal to local evangelical groups.
For Ofodile, the ban is just a way for the state government "to score a cheap political point". Anambra State has a history of political instability and violence and is now making "a desperate attempt to uphold morals", he said.
Abortion
Besides making advocacy for contraception illegal, commissioner Ilika also railed against abortion. "Abortion is the greatest crime," he said. "[All fetuses] must be allowed to live no matter the circumstances that led to the pregnancy, even rape."
He added that medical practitioners in the state will face stiff penalties if they are caught carrying out abortions or any 'anti-life' activities. "The state government will withdraw the license of any medical personnel who flouts this directive and any hospital will be closed down."
The commissioner did not specify how the state would punish shops and pharmacies caught selling condoms, or individuals caught using them.
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
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This only goes to support any theories and beliefs that Africa is "backwards." How can we, those living in Western countries who are knowledgeable of development issues in Africa, explain this to others? I'd love to see the numbers for those with HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections, as well as pregnancy rates at this time next year in Anambra State. It's good to see that Anambra lawmakers have taken their citizens hurdling towards the 1980's.
When Robert Mugabe speaks about people giving into Western pressure when they vote for MDC, he sounds crazy, and he most likely is. But to read the words of the Anambra State Health Commisioner say that condoms have incurred moral laxity is truly an outrageous play to Western politics. I am sorry for my President, the murderer of millions, but there is no excuse to buy into his "abstinence only" campaign. I feel that he is personally responsible for bolstering a foolish idea among the Evangelical Prostestants of the Anambra State, and hold Bush at least partially responsible for the tens of thousands that will perish if this legislation in Anambra stands. I am so, so sorry for this outside influence which encourages horrendous national politics in Nigeria.
You (partially) blame Bush and the West for the "abstinence only" approach and condemn Western tactics to try to curb the spread of HIV-AIDS, yet the very influences you condemn are also the ones who introduced the condom and other contraceptive devices! Perhaps the issue that needs to be addressed is family values and integrity at home rather than a ban on the use of contraceptives...
it is never unprecedented to see that nature is under threat, but it is most unfortunate to see that the threat is founded on error (human assumptions). the reckless believe and trust in an artificially manufacteured condom as a reliable avenue for stealing sex (having sex outside marriage), is indeed unfounded in any morally organised environment like ours (Nigeria-Anambra). Although i do not belive in the so-called UN research on HIV/AIDS that has never told the world about the number of HIV/AIDS candidates in US, Britain and other European countries.this UN research body holds that South Africa has the most HIV/AIDS patients in the world. However condoms are flying aroud every street corners in South Africa provided by the government and never to be sold (free) yet the UN body rated SA first in the world, irrespective of freecondoms in all government administrations and parastatals. so it is reasonable to stick to our reach and deep rooted value system to combart premature sex. experts say that condom is not 100% safe and an atom of the virus can make one get AIDS so what is the neee for condom crusade?
If condoms shoul be ban anywhere at all, it should not be for sex reason only; but government of Anambra should have another very good reason for banning it.Also some goverment officials should be very careful with some of thier crazy idea.This so-call policy shows that Anambra government does not care about the health of his people.Govenment of Anambra should revoke the policy at the right time because the victims of HIV/AIDS will increse drastically in a couple of months. Busola Lagos.
i have a feeling the governor must have had an illicit affair that almost destroyed his tenure and HE is trying to cure his personal problems by compelling everyone else to follow the solution for HIS own short coming...who made him God? every adult has a right to make their own mistakes, y is he trying to run peoples personal lives?so r police officers going to go around searching people for condoms? wat happens when they find one on a person? wuld he be locked up or shot?how totally foolish!! he must be loosing his objective and focus...how totally insane...
HERE WE GO AGAIN THIS IS THE RESULT THAT A COUNTRY GETS WHEN IT ALLOWS MONEY MISS ROADS,UNENLIGHTENED AND SHALLOW MINDED PEOPLE TO BUT THEIR WAY INTO POWER,I DO NOT THINK THAT THE COMISSIONER AND GOVERNOR ARE PARENTS TO ANY CHILD AND I WONDER IF THEY MARRIED THEIR WIVES AS VIRGINS .LETS BE REALISTIC THIS IS THE 21 CENTURY AND OUR LEADER SHOULD START THINKING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.I WONDER IF THEY WILL ALSO BAN THE USE OF ELECTRIC LAMPS AND ASK PEOPLE TO USE KEROSINE LAMPS INSTEAD
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This is madness.Does the Anambra state government know anything at all about HIV/AIDs and how its ravaging the populations health in Sub-Saharan Africa Nigeria not excluded? Somebody should call them to order.Approximately 220,000 people died from AIDS in 2006 alone. With AIDS claiming so many people's lives, Nigeria’s life expectancy has declined according to UNAIDS and HIV prevalence among 15-24 year old women was 5.7 in 1999, 5.9 in 2001 and 5.4 in 2003.The reduction seen in the prevalence is due to more awreness about HIV and how it can be prevented. How can a whole state government who should be assisting and help fight HIV/AIDS now say abstinence is the answer.Please those that thought of this as the solution need to be educated as they are most definitely not.