AIDS Commission worried over abuse of condom machines

The Ghana AIDS Commission is worried over the deliberate abuse of its condom dispensing machines installed in the Upper East Region, technical coordinator of the commission in-charge of the Northern and Upper East Regions, Nuhu Musah, has disclosed.

The commission in its quest to curb the spread of HIV installed a number of condoms dispensing machines some two years ago with the sole intention of making condoms accessible and affordable, especially to the youth who though sexually active, either feel shy to purchase condoms.

Condoms in the dispensing machine are highly subsidised by the government through the commission, for which reason a person in need of condoms just has to slot a GHc10p coin into the machine and gets three ‘Be Safe Condoms’ dispensed.

Recent misconducts by some persons are fast destroying the machines and also leaving the AIDS Commission with no money to continue buying the condoms, as those unscrupulous persons rather slot some valueless flattened circular metals into the machine instead of inserting GHc10p.

Mr Musah expressed this worry during a performance review meeting of HIV/AIDS focal persons and project accountants in Bolgatanga.

According to him, the practice was fast undermining the fight against the spread of HIV and the commission’s effort at making condoms affordable and accessible to all.

He said apart from people’s inability to consistently use condom for sexual intercourse, stigmatisation of persons living or caring for persons living with HIV/AIDS was also militating against the commission’s efforts at reducing the prevalence rate in the region.