Local non-governmental health organizations have pleaded with citizens to embrace the use of condoms to reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

Data supplied by two health organizations reveal that at least 1,434,170 condoms have been used in South Sudan from December last year to late September 2020 according to data supplied by.

In a population of about 12 million people, Impact Health Organization, an institution that supports health support to the people in need says, the statistics point to very low level of condom usage among citizens.

The Impact Health Organization revealed this last week after its annual campaign dubbed “Condomise, Don’t Compromise” held at Blue Cave Bar in Tongpiny Area in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

The campaign is aimed at reducing stigma over condom usage in South Sudan, a country where citizens are hooked to their cultural norms and values resulting into ditching condoms as a means of contraception and protection from STDs.

David Ssentogo, Programmes Officer at Impact Health Organization said they have decided to promote condom use in non-traditional outlets that include bars and markets adding that plans to embark on a community outreach campaign were underway if COVID-19 fades.

“So, we are saying that casual sex should actually be condomized such that we lessen the current number of HIV infection in the country. But how are going to deal with that if we don’t condomize?” he questioned.

Chris Issa Gordon, South Sudan AIDs Commission Prevention Program Officer said the campaign aims to highlight the importance of condoms to both male and female as far as HIV/AIDs prevention is concerned.

 “We are trying to break the barriers to condom use and allow people to understand the importance of using condoms and that is none other than being able to prevent unintended pregnancy and to prevent HIV infection and to prevent sexually transmitted diseases among the general population,” Gordon explained.

Gordon debunked the conventional, yet scientifically unproven idea that condoms are meant make people produce fewer children, contrary to the value and norm of the South Sudanese society where having many is a prestige.

“People think when you’re going to use condoms that means you don’t want to have children. As the public health officials, we have always asked these questions; would you like to have children with everybody? No. Are you sure that every sexual act has intention of producing children? No.

“Having this in the bar is to ensure that we sell the idea of using condoms to people who are in this none traditional places that people don’t believe condoms should be in a bar because a bar has no lodge but we believe these are nontraditional outlets and people who should be targeted to use condoms are as well found in the bars,” he said explained.

However, Ssentogo also emphasized that his organization placed a box at many public places and toilets in particular, in which they put in condoms for both male and female to take in case they want to use them. 

Introducing Condoms in a country where talking about the issue may be offensive entails ground-breaking and culturally sanative approaches

A bar attender at Blue Cave in Tongpiny who identified herself as Malindais, encouraged both women and men to use condoms and collective curb the spread of HIV/AIDs.

“I want to encourage people to use condoms. This thing helps you a lot, it will protect you as a woman from getting unwanted pregnancy. I understand people don’t like using condoms simply because they are not prostitutes, that’s not true. Condoms prevent you and your man from getting diseases such as Aids and Syphilis, “she emphasized.

Roadman Frack, another source, echoed the same sentiment saying citizens shouldn’t shy away from self-protection.

“Many people fear using or even talking about condoms, but for me, I don’t and I feel free when using it because I don’t want to take unnecessary risks,” he said.

A study published by the Global AIDS Response Progress in June this year indicates that no cases of condoms’ scarcity have been reported.

But despite such availability, thigh vendors at all the sites visited by the Global AIDS Response Progress said “clients do not want to use condoms, especially South Sudanese clients.”