Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
April 03, 2008 (SKNIS)
Stakeholders in St. Kitts – Nevis are excited by the strategy of the National AIDS Secretariat to promote usage of the FC2 female condom.
Earlier this week, a workshop at the Ocean Terrace Inn (OTI) provided participants with information about the female condom and how it will help to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies.
SKNIS spoke to some of the participants to get their thoughts on the workshop and the female condom. Vercelette Wilson explained that she enjoyed the session. “It was very informative and now we know that women have a choice,” she stated, adding that the increased sturdiness of the condom is a source of comfort as it is not easily broken.
Police Inspector Vaughn Henderson said he learned a lot and believes that the female condom is an excellent tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS. “It is now your condom or mine,” he stressed while giving advice to persons who are sexually active.
Bessie Ferdinand, a community nurse at the Newtown Health Center explained that she will share the knowledge she gained with colleagues and clients. “Women use your female condom. There in an inner ring which gives the man more pleasure and there is an outer ring “¦ which can give pleasure to the woman,” she remarked.
Kathryn Garner of the International University of Nursing will be working with the Ministry of Health to measure the introduction of the female condom and evaluate the effectiveness of the promotional campaign as well as the usage of the FC2.
The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).