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| Herbert Chikosi |
Progress
Chaya
The
Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has said the Covid-19 induced
national lockdown had resulted in increased consumption of pornographic
material leading to higher STI infection rates especially among the youth.
The
organisation said the development was militating against its efforts to reduce
unwanted pregnancies by the end of this year.
Speaking
at a recent community stakeholder engagement meeting organised by MyAge
Zimbabwe, ZNFPC Masvingo provincial education and marketing officer Hebert
Chikosi said the lockdown had presented its own challenges regarding sexual and
reproductive health.
“ZNFPC
had set targets to reduce unwanted pregnancy from 24 to 12 percent by the end
of this year but we are now faced with new challenges that may make that
impossible due to many factors including the lockdown,” said Chikosi.
He
said the lockdown had in many instances led to idleness and subsequent sexual
immorality among young people who had hitherto spent their time occupied in
productive sectors of the economy.
“Our
studies show that the rate of STI infection among the youth has risen since the
beginning of the lockdown due to an increase in unprotected sex partly
attributable to the use of pornography,” he said.
Chikosi
said ZNFPC had since resumed distribution of condoms in public toilets and
health institution to ensure increased access to sexual health.
He
said the organisation had also started a home delivery programme which could be
ordered on phone number 039 262237 for those who wanted ZNPC products to be
delivered to their doorsteps.
The
meeting was attended by representatives from the National Aids Council (NAC), Ministry
of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Disability
Amalgamation Community Trust (DACT) and representatives of sex workers.
