TV contraceptive advert misleading

An advert to create awareness about the use of contraceptives is making rounds in the media. The advert urges young people to be responsible enough and consult reproductive health centres. 

While this is a welcome move to avoid teenage and unwanted pregnancies, there are lurking dangers worth avoiding through abstinence and other conventional means. 

These include Covid-19, which reportedly mutates into tougher strains,  drug resistant TB, drug resistant  sexually transmitted diseases, and socio-economic distress, among others.

First,  a picture/video is worth a thousand words. The contraceptives advert can dupe young people into engaging in premarital sex thus exposing them to HIV and Covid-19 that has killed many people worldwide. 

Even if a vaccine or drug to fight the viruses are found, we cannot ascertain how the response to treatment will be. For this reason, malaria, HIV/Aids and other diseases , should be prevented where possible.

Countries with high rates of under age marriages have high rates of gender-based violence, divorce and other marital conflicts. The partners see themselves as still young, hence they do not mind walking away from current marriages to another one. This is particularly common among celebrities.

 Contract marriages is where sharing of property in case of break-up, is calculated and predetermined, also undermines love and trust in a marriage. 

Young people who are still at school face many challenges when they start coupling. In the case of a mixed school, their fear losing their mate to other admirers for one reason or another. 

Charles Okecha,
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