Indeed, the Fetu Afahye 2024 was successful by all indications. With thousands of people trooping to Cape Coast for the festival. There was a lot of socialisation, and funfair was massive in the city.

New places of fun activities sprang up and the city bustled with thousands of people both young and old.

There was a lot to eat and drink and it was therefore expected that many would be careless sexually.

Therefore, in a collaborative effort to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV, unintended pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) during the Cape Coast Festival, the PPAG Cape Coast Clinic, in partnership with the Cape Coast Youth Action Movement (YAM) branch and other key stakeholders, organised a series of activities both prior to and during the festival to help keep people “safe”.

Also, 722 people were screened for HIV, with two people testing positive.

Six hundred and two other people were also screened for Hepatitis B, with five positive cases identified.

Pre-festival activities

In the weeks leading to the festival, the team conducted educational outreach across 13 communities within Cape Coast, including Idan, Ekon, Nkanfoa, Kwapraw, Akotokyir, Abura, Pedu, Brabedzie, Amamoma, Kakumdo, Akanful Fie and Nyinasin.

These sessions included one-on-one counselling, small group discussions and community centre education.

According to a programme officer with the PPAG in Cape Coast, Michael Tagoe, the rationale was to raise awareness of safe sex practices, prevention of STIs including HIV, and SGBV prevention.

He said during these pre-festival activities, the team successfully reached more than 600 people including 486 young people aged 10 to 24 and 146 individuals over the age of 25.

The focus he said, was to equip participants with accurate knowledge and access to services that could help them make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

Mr Tagoe said during the festival, the PPAG Cape Coast Clinic staff, together with dedicated volunteers, with support from the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) and the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) set up a four-day service stand at the Central Region Expo 2024 held at the Adisadel Park.

Services offered

He said services provided at the stand included HIV testing, Hepatitis B screening, family planning (FP) counselling and service provision

He said the efforts of the volunteers played a significant role in bringing clients to the stand, which contributed to the success of the initiative.

On Friday morning, the Carnival day, he said the team moved to the Abura market, again in collaboration with GAC and CCMA, to conduct further education, HIV testing, and condom distribution. This outreach, he said, extended the programme’s impact to a new group, ensuring the message and services reached a broad audience.

He said the volunteers also joined the vibrant “Orange Friday” street carnival, distributing condom packs as part of the celebration.

Mr Tagoe said while they could not prevent people from having fun, they could help them take the necessary precautions.

“It’s a trend we have observed. Many would come in a few weeks with pregnancies and give strange names as being responsible for such pregnancies,” he stated

He said he was hopeful that the activities that were held would prevent some sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies.

The Department of Gender also used the period to organise educational programmes on sexual and reproductive health and safe sexual behaviours for adolescents and also distributed condoms.

The city has since the end of the festival returned to its usual calm self.

Health practitioners and professionals hope they have managed to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies.

If you came for afahye and you were not careful and cautious, you might have an “afahye baby” waiting for you the next time you come.

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He emphasized that raising children is challenging, especially when they come at an early stage in life.

During an interview with Doreen Avio on JoyNews’ LTS, KiDi noted that while children are blessings, they should be planned for.

“My first piece of advice is to wear condoms if you’re not ready or if you’re at a point in your life where you can’t bring another human being into this world. Use protection, no matter the circumstances. Even though children bring immense blessings into our lives, it’s important to plan for them and ensure you can fully enjoy the blessings God has given you,” he advised.

Despite his busy schedule, KiDi makes it a priority to spend quality time with his son.

“My son is currently in London because he loves spending the summer there. It’s a way for him to take a break from Ghana. I never want to be the celebrity who abandons his child. It’s challenging with all the travel, but I ensure that whenever I’m near him, we spend as much time together as possible, especially on weekends when he’s not in school,” he shared.

KiDi also expressed his desire to marry and have two more children in the future.

“I definitely want more kids when the time is right. I’ve always told myself I wanted three kids, so I have two more to go. I also want to get married and start a family, but not right now. It will all happen when the time is right,” he said.

Source: Adomonline

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According to the Auditor General’s report, the items vanished into thin air while in transit from the Temporary Central Medical Stores Requisition in Tema to the Regional Medical Stores in the Eastern Region in August 2022.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee this morning, the Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the Health Ministry said that two years on, the vehicle and items still cannot be found.

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Condoms are contraceptives that help protect and prevent sexually transmitted diseases. However, she said the unsanitary use of it by some young people has changed its trajectory.

Speaking to Asieduwaa Akumia on Prime Morning on Tuesday, the senior medical doctor disclosed that, using one condom multiple times exposes people to STIs, which can be detrimental to one’s health, hence the need to change condoms so as to protect one’s self from diseases.

“Every condom has a probability of getting torn. This is because you are not supposed to use condoms for too long. Once you are done using it and you ejaculate, you take it off and throw it away. There is no time limit for wearing a condom, but after you climax, just take it off. After one round, use another condom for the next,” Dr. Abena urged.

According to her, STI cases in the country are rapidly growing due to the unhealthy sexual practices people indulge in.

She further explained that, it is important for people to pay close attention to the fact that all condoms have a probability of tearing during or after intercourse. Though there are a plethora of reasons condoms tear, a popular contributing factor is people using one condom for multiple ejaculations.

Dr. Abena Yeboah also mentioned that students are deprived of in-depth education about sex and the proper ways to protect themselves.

She stressed that, adolescents these days learn about sex through social media and peers. This, according to her, is one of the reasons many young people suffer from sexually transmitted diseases.

She opined that the government should incorporate more reproductive health courses into the curriculum to help students with more insight about sex and how to use contraceptives to steer clear of STIs.

“Now that people see a lot of things on social media and they want to practice things like oral sex and a number of unsafe practices, we need to go out there and incorporate reproductive health education into our teachings,” she mentioned.

In the aspect of religion, the medical expert called on religious leaders to educate their congregations on sex and encourage the use of contraceptives. This, she said will go a long way towards helping sensitize the youth and save people.

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“Earlier, three to four packets of condoms were sold daily. And now packs of condoms are disappearing from a store,” a shopkeeper of a medical store told the outlet.

When flavoured condoms are soaked in hot water, polyurethane from the condoms is released, resulting in a cocktail that can give off a high that lasts for 10 to 12 hours at a time, Vice reported.

Polyurethane is a plastic substance used in everyday materials such as building insulation, car parts, and adhesive, according to a polyurethane website.

Vice noted that the condoms are typically left to soak in water for six to eight hours before an individual would drink the water.

Dheeman Mandal, an employee at Durgapur Divisional Hospital, told News 18 that the process can be addicting.

“Condoms contain aromatic compounds. It breaks down to form alcohol. It is addictive. This aromatic compound is also found in dendrites glue. So many people use dendrite for addiction also,” Mandal told News 18.

Experts told Vice that consuming intoxicating flavored-condom water is not without consequence.

“Drinking this water can cause intoxication and addiction. If consumed repeatedly, it will negatively impact the lungs and kidneys, as well as harm the body’s nervous system,” Joydeep Ghosh, an internal medicine expert at Fortis Hospital, Kolkata, told Vice.

Sanjith Saseedharan, the lead of critical care at the SL Raheja Hospital in Mumbai, added in a conversation with Vice that “long-term use of this can lead to mental abnormalities, including violent behavior, unconsciousness, and [in certain cases] even death.”

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Contraceptive methods help to prevent pregnancies. This means using condoms is essentially a means of birth control.

However, while birth control may be the primary purpose, a condom is also able to provide other benefits to the user.

One such advantage is protection from sexually transmitted infections or STIs.

However, too much of a good thing is definitely bad for you, not to mention detrimental to your health.

While condoms are one of the greatest inventions known to mankind and help avoid the perils of STDs and unwanted pregnancies, it does have some ill effects.

Here are a few side effects of condoms that you never knew:

• Allergy

Most condoms are made of latex, the fluid that is obtained from rubber trees.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology research noted that some people experience an allergic response to the protein in the rubber. This is very rare.

The symptoms of latex allergy can vary in presentation and severity, ranging from sneezing, runny nose, hives, itching or flushing to more severe signs and symptoms, such as wheezing, swelling, dizziness, and light-headedness.

In certain instances, latex allergies can invoke anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition.

It is best advised for people who have latex allergies to switch to synthetic condoms.

However, the chances of condom tear during the act are high with these condoms and they aren’t compatible with most vaginal lubricants too.

• Acquiring other STDs

Condoms are proven highly effective against HIV and reduce the risk of other diseases, such as syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HPV.

However, they do not afford protection against sexually transmitted diseases that can affect the outer layers of the skin, such as scabies infections and molluscum contagiosum.

Studies have found out that although condoms can reduce the risk of genital herpes, they don’t protect every part of the skin in which the herpes virus can asymptomatically shed and be transmitted to an infected sexual partner.

• Risk of pregnancy

Condoms are mostly used to prevent unwanted pregnancy. However, when used correctly condoms can only guarantee 98 percent protection and if used in an improper manner 15 out of 100 women get pregnant.

So if you are using a condom to prevent an unwanted pregnancy be sure that you use a fresh piece and know how to use it right.

Condoms that have crossed their expiry date become brittle and could break during intercourse.

This is after it emerged that there was an acute condoms shortage with data showing that the country needs 455 million condoms annually against the 1.6million provided by the government per month.

Despite the shortage, however, pharmacists have confirmed that condom prices have not changed.

A pack of condoms retails between Sh50 (GHC 2.7) to Sh300 (GHC 16.3).

Most establishments that used to stock the commodities including public health facilities no longer have free condoms in their dispensers.

Data from the Global Fund and the United Nations Population Fund shows that close to 20 million condoms were distributed in the country last year.

“Together with our partners we have secured resources and we should be able to give further information when to expect these deliveries into the country,” Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi said.

The shortage has been blamed on the high taxes levied on the commodities by the government despite them being donations, with some donors being forced to redirect their consignments to other countries.

The ministry has, however, advised Kenyans to visit the various health facilities and be informed on other available family planning methods, saying female condoms are in surplus.

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Chief Executive Officer of Lynx Entertainment, Richie Mensah, has revealed that his mother purchased condoms for him when he first started dating. 

Taking his turn on ‘Keeping It Real’ published on Joselyn Dumas’ YouTube channel, the music producer said that his mother wanted him to have the needed protection when he decides to have sex at a young age.

“When I started dating the first time, my mum bought condoms for me and said, ‘You are too young to be having sex but just in case you think about it, do it the safe way’,” he recounted. 

While contributing to the topic, ‘A healthy man’, Mr Mensah mentioned that he is from a liberal home.

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He said, because of that, his mum gave him and his siblings the space to discuss anything at all with her. 

He added that this opportunity made it easier for him and his siblings to talk about their worries at home instead of depending on outsiders.

“I am from a home where you can feel free to express yourself. So if I have a problem, I will share it”, he noted.

Mr Mensah has produced notable artists like Asem, Kuami Eugene, KiDi, Irene Logan, Eazzy and many others.

According to the survey carried out by NOIPolls, the results show that only 28% of the general population that uses condoms do so consistently.

This is despite the fact that most of those surveyed said it was easy for them to purchase a condom, if needed.

Chike Nwangwu, NOIPolls Chief Executive Officer told the BBC that religion and a partner’s refusal were the most common reasons given by respondents for not using condoms.

“With regards to perception and attitude on condom, 63% of Nigerians stated that the first thing that comes to their mind when they hear the word condom is sexual pleasure, while 45% disclosed that they instantly think of promiscuity when they see someone with a condom,” he said.

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The survey including the following graphics to illustrate some of its findings:

The data was drawn from 1,000 adults in a country of some 200 million people.

The survey was conducted in partnership with Nigeria’s Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and the National Agency for the Control of Aids (Naca) to mark International Condom Day on 13 February.

Tests had found some of the Indian-manufactured Life Guard brand contained holes or risked bursting, Uganda’s National Drug Authority (NDA) said.

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Marie Stopes provides contraception and family planning services in more than 35 countries.

Nearly 6 per cent of adults in Uganda live with HIV, the United Nations (UN) says with other research suggesting that only 11 per cent of people in the country have planned pregnancies.

Marie Stopes supplies between 1.5 million and 2 million condoms to Uganda every month.

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“We can confirm this is the first time that one of our country programmes has needed to issue this kind of recall,” it said in a statement to the BBC.

The recall came after the NDA wrote to the charity on 30 October, saying two batches of Life Guard condoms failed to comply with “quality tests”.

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Marie Stopes said it was working with the NDA to “urgently investigate what happened with these batches and ensure our products continue to meet the high standard of quality”.

“We can confirm that the two batches we are recalling contained around 335,000 condom packs – just over 1 million individual condoms. We have recovered more than half of those,” it added.

Ms. Golda Asante, Eastern Regional Technical Coordinator of the Technical Support Unit of Ghana AIDS Commission, told the media in Koforidua the move is to prevent the spread of the disease.

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According to her, though the prevalence rate in the region has slightly reduced to 2.1% it translates to the fact that 21 persons out of every 1000 residents in the region have HIV/AIDS.

She said records show that new infection is recorded everyday in the region.

According to Ms Asante, new infections are generally recorded during funfairs and political gatherings hence the need to embark on such drive at the NPP event.

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The Koforidua Technical University football pitch which will host the conference is undergoing reshaping and extension to enable it host the over 6000 delegates expected to elect their national leaders.

WHAT ARE CONDOMS MADE OUT OF?

Typically, condoms are made out of one of three materials: latex, polyurethane, or lambskin. “Some people have a latex allergy, so polyurethane is a really good option,” says Leah Millheiser, M.D. at Stanford University School of Medicine.

“Some people report that they feel more using lambskin, but the problem with lambskin is that it doesn’t necessarily prevent STD transmission.” What all of these different materials have in common is that they don’t last forever.

WHY DO THEY EVEN NEED AN EXPIRATION DATE? IT’S NOT LIKE IT’S FOOD.

Dr. Millheiser says it is a known fact that after a certain amount of time, the condom degrades. “This means that it’s easier for the condom to break and fail during sexual activity,” she says.

Over time the spermicide in the condom can lose its potency and the latex and lubricant can dry out, O’Reilly explains. In addition to being less effective, she says that these expired condoms can irritate skin (and skin down there is not a place you want irritated).

IS IT REALLY SO BAD TO USE AN EXPIRED CONDOM?

Yes and no. On one hand, O’Reilly warns that users that you will have a higher risk of STI transmission and unintended pregnancy. However, both doctors agree that using an expired condom is better than nothing.

“If all you have access to is an expired condom—it’s either that or nothing—use the expired condom because there is a chance that it won’t break,” Dr. Millheiser says. “You would have to test it right after, meaning fill it up with water, like a balloon, and see if anything comes out because you might not know if it broke. But if you have a choice between an expired condom or nothing, use the expired condom if you have no other access to condoms that are not expired.”

Condoms are very popular in Cuba, but not just as a contraception method. Years of international embargo and low income have forced many Cubans to make due with whatever products they had access to.

Last year, we wrote about Havana’s “balloon fishermen” who use inflated condoms as cheap lures that carry their lines far into the ocean to catch expensive fish like red snapper, barracuda and tarpon without having to leave the shore. Today, we learn about a wine maker who uses them to perfect the fermentation process of his wine.

Orestes Estevez has been making wine for a long time, but he only opened his winery, “El Canal”, in 2000, when the Communist regime made private enterprises legal.

He uses Cuban grapes with all kinds of tropical fruits and vegetables thrown in for added flavoring to make a cheap yet delicious alternative to imported wines. With the average monthly income in Cuba standing at around $25, few people can afford to pay half that much for a bottle of foreign wine, so at 10 pesos (¢40) per bottle, Orestes’ wine is a popular alternative.

Estevez and his family tend to about 300 large jugs of wine at all times, and they can be seen lined up on shelves or on the floor all around their house. But what rally draws people’s attention are the condoms sealing the neck of these five-gallon containers. They are a cheap alternative to the valves and sensors used by most wineries to release gases and monitor the fermentation process.

The condoms slowly inflate as the grape juice and fruits start to ferment and produce gases. When they become firm and full of gas, Orestes punches a few small holes with a needle to allow the slow release of gas, and when the condom stops inflating and falls, he knows that the wine is ready for bottling.

“Putting a condom on a bottle is just like with a man,” Estevez recently told the Associated Press. “It stands up, the wine is ready, and then the process is completed.”

source: oddity central