Military launches new 'Ulinzi' brand of condoms

ruby orimba

08 October 2018 12:25 PM

Nearly 6% of Ugandan adults are living with HIV

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Ugandas army has launched its own brand of condoms, named after the Swahili word for "protection", to help prevent soldiers contract HIV.

A soldier cannot defend his country if he "does not ensure that he's safe", said Chief of Staff Brig Leopold Kyanda at the launch of the Ulinzi condom.

Nearly 6% of Ugandan adults are living with HIV but strides have been made in reducing the number of new infections.

Camouflage

In the past, the country's army was known to have a high infection rate.

The Ulinzi condom, which comes in a camouflage packet, should help stop soldiers bringing HIV back home after a tour of duty, said the ministry of health's Vastha Kibirige.

Infecting wives

"The nature of this job has many challenges. [The soldiers] sometimes go to war zones where they meet up with women for pleasure.

"They have to protect their lives to avoid infecting their wives back home," she told Uganda's NTV news.

The UN's HIV/Aids organisation, UNAids, says that Ugandans use condoms just over half the time when they engage in what is described as "high-risk sex".

ruby orimba