Mrs Priscillia Shu, the Executive Director of RemaCare Integrated Centre, a Port Harcourt-based NGO, has called for the distribution of condoms and treated mosquito nets at flood victims camps.
Shu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that awareness should also be created in the camps on the dangers of HIV and diarrhea.
She said governments and non-governmental organisations should join hands to create such awareness in the camps.
She also called for the distribution of condoms and reproductive health products to the flood victims, especially the women.
“I think awareness needs to go on in the camps, and if possible, the distribution of condoms, even though I really doubt how they do it there.
“I think a lot of awareness has to go on within these camps on HIV and diarrhea because these are some the things that we will be experiencing after this because of exposure and other things.
“So, I think that awareness is very key and also the distribution of condoms, if they are available,’’ Shu said.
She said condoms were cheap and easily available for the people to get and that emphasis should also be in this regard while providing relief materials to the victims.
She said treated mosquito nets would save the victims from malaria and other insect bites at the camps.
On a recent survey conducted by her NGO, she said people were still ignorant on the use of condoms and HIV.
She said the survey, which covered three local governments in Rivers, revealed that people were still skeptical to use condoms.
“The issue is ignorance. We observed that some women were scared of using the condom because it will make them to be promiscuous while in another area, the youths and even women embraced the use of condoms,’’ she said.
The director said awareness should be created in the rural areas for the people to use condoms and embrace family health and reproductive health.
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