Government rebrands male condoms

In a bid to encourage usage, the Ministry of Health plans to rebrand male condoms distributed freely to the public.

Ms Vastha Kibirige, the programmes officer for the HIV/Aids Control Programme under the Ministry of Health, said the new condoms, Life Defender, will be distributed in December. “We have decided to create an appealing name and a new pack because many people think unbranded condoms are of poor quality,” she said.

According to Ms Kibirige, each pack will be containing three condoms instead of four ‘to avoid unnecessary waste.’ Life Defender will replace the formerly Ngabu brand that was recalled from the market after poor quality concerns.

She advised the public, especially the married people to embrace condom use as a means of controlling HIV transmission as well as controlling unwanted pregnancies. “It is a responsibility of every one to test together and know together. Do not take your partners for granted, if you are not sure of your partner’s HIV status use condoms until you have been tested together,” she advised.

If used properly and consistently, condoms can help discordant couples stay happily in marriage. Ms Kibirige advised women to embrace the new female condom, which she said is made of artificial rubber and has no adverse effects. “FC2 is made from nitrile polymer, which a synthetic rubber and its more effective than the previous FC1 that was made from plastic,” she said.