Concord Times (Freetown)
Mohamed Vandi
25 June 2009
Kenema — Focal teacher for the network movement for justice and development, NMJD at the Luke's commercial secondary school Kenema has said that the rampant and uncontrollable circulation of expired condoms in the eastern headquarter town is a serious cause for concern.
Jenkins Katua said the development should not be treated with levity by the authorities concerned as it has the propensity of increasing the rate of HIV/AIDS infection in the community.
Katua said most of the beneficiaries of condoms, like sex workers, are illiterate and therefore cannot distinguish an expired condom from one that is not.
"We all know that goods or items that have expired are not good for human consumption. Therefore using expired condemns will not serve the purpose for which they are being used. The authorities need to do something very fast to stop the circulation of these expired items," he stated, thus calling for the public to be properly sensitized on the recent development.
"The radio stations need to educate the masses that before using any condom one has to look at its expiry date. Some of the expired condoms are labeled 'Gold Circle' manufactured for Population Service International 1120, 19th Street, Washington DC20036, USA and Lubricated Condon manufactured by Hindustan Latex Limited Product of India," he revealed.
Acting registrar of the pharmacy board of Sierra Leone, Wiltshire C.N. Johnson has confirmed that most of the condoms in circulation are counterfeit and have expired.
He warned condom users to be very mindful of the type of products they use so as to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections.
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