MUFAKOSE Legislator, Honorable Susan Matsunga has asked government, the National AIDS Council (NAC) and all partners involved in the procurement and distribution of condoms to consider the size of sexual organs for some Zimbabwean men whenever they place orders from manufactures overseas.
By Michael Gwarisa
She made these remarks during a question and answer session at a High Level Advocacy Meeting to Discuss Bottlenecks Affecting the Condom Market in Zimbabwe that was held in Harare weeks ago.
I am an MP in my constituency and I get feedback from the constituency. I believe if we want to end AIDS by 2030, let’s not leave anyone behind. I understand that we were all born different. I am saying this in confidence and through a real life experience of somebody who approached me with an issue. This man was born with an abnormally large manhood.
“The man is married but has extra marital sexual affairs with several women. He complained that whenever he has sexual intercourse, the condom breaks. My appeal is can’t we have customized condoms for men with bigger genitalia to avoid the spread of HIV. Imagine the risk the women are put under just because condoms are always breaking,” said Honorable Matsunga.
She added that some unwanted pregnancies were happening as a result of condoms breaking. She also asked if the condoms being manufactured were strong enough to withstand the high level of friction that obtains during sexual intercourse.
A few years ago, former health and child care minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa once made the same remarks as Hon Matsunga during the launch of the Zimbabwe Private Sector HIV and Aids Wellness Coordinating Programme (ZPSHAWP) in Harare.
“You know this region, the Southern African region, has the highest incidence of HIV and we are promoting the use of condoms; both males and females. The youths now have a particular condom that they like but we don’t manufacture them. We import condoms from China and some men complain that they are too small.
“We need to look at that; you need to able to have your own condoms. So, if you want to be a big businessman, then manufacture them (condoms) for the region,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
However, contacted for comment, National AIDS Council (NAC) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Madzima said there was no such thing as condoms being smaller for any particular manhood size.
Zimbabwe just like any African country currently does not manufacture condoms but instead imports from China and other countries. Zhao Chuan, the chief executive of the condom manufacturer Beijing Daxiang and His Friends Technology Co, told the South China Morning Post the firm was planning to make contraceptives in different sizes.
“As to the different demands from customers such as in Zimbabwe, Daxiang, as a Chinese manufacturer, has the ability and the obligation to make a contribution, so we have started to do some surveys on users’ data in the region to make preparations for future products with different sizes,” Zhao said.
Zhao said that customers around the world had different requirements, with Chinese men preferring thinner condoms while not worrying about the size, while customers in North America liked a softer contraceptive.
Zimbabwe’s national condom program comprise of public sector condoms, private sector condoms and Social Marketing condoms. However, increased donor fatigue has seen major donors such as the USAID and PEPFAR cutting their funding towards the procurement of public sector and social sector condoms in Zimbabwe from US$4 million in 2019 to US$3 million in 2020.
