IN keeping with the slogan “Love is the BEST protection” the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) recently donated three million of its LOVE brand condoms to further assist Jamaica in its drive to promote safer sex through condom distribution.

The organisation recently started working with the government in lending assistance to the national efforts to control the HIV epidemic.

AHF, through this partnership, has been providing care for thousands of Jamaicans living with HIV specifically in the Western region (Montego Bay and Savanna-la-Mar) and is also working with Jamaica AIDS Support for Life.

The handing over of condoms and condom boxes, to be issued by nurses in public hospitals and health centres, and specific non-governmental organisations, is in line with the Ministry of Health’s commitment to promoting responsible sexual behaviour.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Kevin Harvey, in addressing the handing-over ceremony noted that unwanted pregnancy is still a major challenge for us as a developing country.

“We still have a significant amount of unplanned pregnancies, which are resulting in terminated pregnancies and in fact, unsafe terminations,” Dr Harvey said.

The rate of teenage pregnancy and the new HIV infection among girls ages 10-19 is still a concern for the island as approximately 20 per cent of all pregnancies annually occur within this age group. Girls in this age group are three times more likely to be infected with HIV than boys.

The country received the three million condoms last month and a commitment has been made to also provide LOVE lubricants later this year.

“The National Family Planning Board has been doing good work and it is an honour to collaborate with the Jamaican health delivery system, and we look forward to future collaborations,” said Southern Region Bureau Chief for AHF Michael Kahane during his address at the handing-over ceremony.