Don’t Patronize Street Hawkers Selling Condom's

The Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria, on Monday advised condom consumers not to patronize hawkers because the safety standard of such commodity may have been compromised.

A statement signed by the institute Head of Communication, Mr. Dennis Mordi, quoted Mr. Silas Gurumdi, Programme Manager on Prevention, as saying that most condoms sold by hawkers could have been exposed to sunlight, expired and could easily tear during use.

“You do not know how they have stored these condoms and how long they have kept them; you do not even know the source of their condoms.

“Even if they got them from a chemist or some kind of pharmacy, the mere fact that they are carrying them under the sun and rain exposes the condom to a lot of danger.

“Most of the condoms being hawked are sometimes expired and tear easily during use.
“What that means is that there could be easy transmission of HIV, so it is advisable for user of such condoms to go for counselling and testing,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the statement advised women to also use the female condom for prevention, adding that people should always look out for the expiry date when buying condom and read instructions on how to use it.

“Always check for NAFDAC and FDA certifications on condoms before purchase and read the instructions on their usage; the instructions should be clear enough.

It stated that a good condom could be determined by rubbing it between the thumb and index finger to determine if had air and lubricant, adding that no condom comes without a lubricant inside it.
The statement also advised that condoms should not be kept in trouser back pockets as they could be damaged if sat upon.

“The best way of carrying it around is in your breast pocket. If you put it in your back pocket, you will sit on it and it will generate heat.

“People are fond of keeping it in their dashboards, and they stand a risk of getting torn because it is latex and too much exposure to heat can damage it,’’ the statement added.

NigerianEye