Speaking during a bliss road show in Botshabelo last week, Sexual Transmission Infections Coordinator for Selebi-Phikwe, Kabo Masupe said women should use the female condom the same way as men use theirs. She explained that the female condom was introduced in Botswana in 2002 and its use has been low hence the need to promote it through road shows across the country. She stated that there is also a shortage of the female condom in health facilities. Masupe mentioned that women in the 15-49 age group were vulnerable to HIV infection. She said according to a recent survey, the infection rate for women is 19 percent as compared to men, which is only 13 percent.
Masupe informed the residents that the infection rate of HIV and other Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Selebi-Phikwe is the highest in the country. She pointed out that they have tried to justify the reason why this town has the highest infection but the justification was dismissed. She stated that this was a concern and people must take it seriously. She called upon women to take the responsibility to reduce the spread of STIs in this town. "By the end of 2008, there were about 5, 837 STIs in this town and only few people were fully treated. It has shown that the numbers are still increasing because we have people who are not fully treated and infect others," she said.
