KAMPALA — DKT Uganda, Dembe Group donate 1 million condoms to boost government family planning and HIV prevention efforts
DKT Uganda, the makers of KISS and Fiesta Condom brands, together with distributors Dembe Group Uganda have donated condoms worth $50,000 to the Ministry of Health.
The donation was received by Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng the Ministry headquarters in Kampala.
Dr. Aceng said the country should not ignore issues of unwanted pregnancies and sexual reproductive health while dealing with the COVID -19 pandemic.
According to minister Aceng, cases of sexual reproductive health have increased countrywide during the pandemic since most of the children are out of school.
The Chief Executive Officer Dembe Group, Anil Damani explained that they have come up with the initiative to reduce unwanted pregnancies during the lockdown.
“We want to make sure that the country is not only safe from COVID-19 but other diseases like HIV /AIDS,” Damani said, reiterating that Uganda has made its mark in taking care of its most vulnerable groups in fighting the global pandemic.
Uganda has over the years called for joint efforts from all sectors in fighting HIV as a public health challenge.
It launched the ABC -Abstinence, Being faithful and using Condoms which had early success in lowering HIV prevalence. It is against this background that DKT Uganda have joined the fight.
Reports indicate that condom use in the country has declined from 38% in 2000 to 24% in 2018. Condom usage has played a key role in Uganda’s official HIV prevention strategy for the last 20 years, although there have been challenges in meeting demand.
DKT is one of the largest makers of condoms and one of the largest social marketing groups in the world. In 2017, the organization launched operations in Uganda to support the country’s achievement in family planning and HIV prevention goals through social marketing of high quality contraception products.
The donation of Fiesta Condoms, which were made for the premium market in Uganda, will support the work of the Ministry of Health and the Uganda Aids Commission. The condoms will be distributed through the public sector channels in rural and remote areas where other socially marketed condoms are not readily available.