Aimee Ernest Nyirinkindi, the head of Campaigns and Communication in the Department of HIV Prevention at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), has said that the issue of damaged condoms in Kayonza district might not be due to poor quality.

Instead, he said, factors such as expiration and poor storage might be responsible for the problem.

This came during an HIV awareness campaign on April 26 where concerns were raised by young people in Rukara sector about the quality of condoms sold in local kiosks, at Rwf100.

One of the youths, Elie Sabanani, a cyclist at the Rukara market, expressed his worry about the quality of the condoms, saying that they are prone to damage during use and could put him at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

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Nyirinkindi explained that when people do not check the expiration date of condoms, or store them poorly, it can result in the oil inside the condom being removed which then leads to the condom expanding, putting it at risk of becoming damaged during use.

He said: "It&039;s not an issue of quality, as all condoms imported into the country are verified for quality standards by Rwanda FDA."

Nyirinkindi noted that during the HIV awareness campaign, condoms are distributed; however, children under the age of 18 are not permitted to receive them.

He explained that adults can obtain condoms from health centers and local kiosks, where they are sold for Rwf 100, adding that any vendor who overcharges for condoms should be held accountable.

In addition, there are also condom kiosks available in 10 locations across the country, condom dispensers that are installed in institutions with high foot traffic, as well as community health workers who distribute condoms to individuals.

‘Young people need to attend HIV testing’

According to Nyirinkindi, some young people are afraid of getting tested for HIV.

This, he said, is a challenge because it prevents them from becoming part of the program, which delays RBC’s strategies to eradicate the spread of HIV/AIDS. As a result, they continue to spread the virus.

Nyirinkindi urged young people to get tested for HIV and take medication if they find out they are HIV-positive.

He encouraged them to undergo circumcision, which can reduce their chances of getting infected by 60 per cent. However, he emphasized that circumcision should be combined with condom use for maximum safety.

According to Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey 2020, only 56 per cent of males have attended voluntary medical male circumcision.

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Ndungutse Bikorimana, who is responsible for youth programs at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) in Rwanda, also recognises that testing for HIV among young people remains a challenge.

He emphasized that even when young people do get tested, they often struggle to accept their diagnosis and may be hesitant to take medication to reduce the virus in their blood, which is why campaigns are focused on encouraging them to get tested and the significance of knowing their status.

Bikorimana is aware that condoms are still not widely available in Rwanda, hence AHF is advocating for more to be distributed to increase safe sex practices among young people.