More than 100 000 male condoms were distributed by a team of health workers and volunteers during the Condom and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Week at the Musina residential areas and the Beit Bridge Border Post during the past week.

The theme of this year’s event, which is commemorated annually, was “I am responsible for my sexual and productive health.”

The highest number of condoms was distributed to truck drivers, hawkers, taxi drivers and sex workers.

The acting district executive manager of the Department of Health in Vhembe, Mr Robert Sirwali, said that the event was aimed at encouraging local community members and travellers to live a healthy sexual life, while at the same time being faithful to their lovers. Sirwali said the reason why the Beit Bridge Border Post had been targeted was because thousands of travellers passed through the port of entry on a daily basis. He added that there were health benefits for young people who abstained or delayed their first sexual encounter.

“During the campaign, we also taught community members how to use condoms correctly, because a condom prevents the transmission of various sexual disease. We also encouraged people to know their HIV status by testing every three months. We informed the people to know the signs and symptoms of STIs and seek medical help as soon as the first symptoms appear.”

Sirwali raised a concern, however, about the high teenage-pregnancy rate in Vhembe. “Our department is doing everything possible to face this challenge head-on.”

Ms Kelly Nqaba, one of the local health workers who took part in the campaign, said that being part of the campaign "fulfils my social responsibility because I advocate for healthy living styles on daily basis. This makes me happy because I know that I have made a difference in someone’s life out there.”

A truck driver, Mr Trevor Kaunda, who was delivering a cargo from Durban to Zambia through the Beit Bridge Border Post, said that the initiative was very good, "because we don’t get time to go into the shops to buy condoms as we spend most of our time in the road. Many lives will really be saved through this move.”