World Condom Day was celebrated in Homa Bay with emphasis put on ways to address the triple threat and inadequacy of condoms.
A triple threat is a situation where a teenage girl is defiled, impregnated and infected with HIV.
Cases of defilement are rife in Homa Bay and have made the county to be ranked high among the devolved units with vices associated with irresponsible sexual behaviour.
According to the Ministry of Health, Homa Bay leads in HIV prevalence at 19.6 per cent.
The county also suffers from high rates of teenage pregnancies.
According to Kenya Demographic Health Survey, the county has 24 per cent of the number of teenagers who become pregnant before they reach the age of 18.
In addition, Homa Bay is still experiencing a condom shortage that can be used to reduce the prevalence of vices.
The event was presided over by the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) representative Olivia Murunga, Community Aid Transformation Alliance Group (CATAG) director Zahra Hassan, Population Service Kenya (PS-K) representative Crinoline Kemunto and Homa Bay Maisha Youth chairman Rodgers Omollo.
Murunga said they focus their sensitization programme on adolescents since they are the most affected.
They are sexually active and are required to use condoms if they want to engage in sex. They are reaching out to youths at the grass-root with messages on reproductive health.
“Adolescents contribute to a higher percentage of the infection rate,” Murunga said.
Speaking at Tom Mboya University where they held this year’s event, the activists in the gender sector called for joint efforts to help the county fight the problems associated with sexual immorality.
Hassan said the triple threat is their main concern as gender activists.
Triple threat specifically affects teens whose sexual rights were violated.
They called on the government to regularly supply condoms and apprehend suspects linked to sexual molestation.
“As we fight the triple threat in society, we want youths to protect themselves from HIV infection,” she said.
She told youths not to compromise their sexual health and always use condoms when engaging in intercourse.
“Condom has been proven as the sure way of protecting oneself from sexually transmitted infections,” Hassan said.
Kemunto argued that the high rate of transmission of sexual diseases in Homa Bay has shattered the dreams of many youths.
“We’re committed to sensitizing youths on the use of contraceptives,” she said.