I had written about my objections over a local government agency lecturing on the “proper use” of condom. Now, we hear news about a national agency declaring to distribute free condoms to high school students in the country to curb the rising HIV-AIDS epidemic, and other sexually-transmitted diseases. Unfortunately, this is being allowed by the Department of Education.
I am not against finding trail-blazing solutions to perennial issues, but I am vehemently against implementing short-sighted solutions to problems of titanic scale and with wide-ranging complications.
I am referring not just to the issue of HIV-AIDS but also to untimely marriages, teenage pregnancy, and abortion. These problems entail profound thinking, compassion, long-range planning, and the involvement of more stakeholders.
These issues involve everyone in the community, therefore, it is prejudicial to any member of society to just carry out a convenient “solution” like distributing condoms or going into a buying spree.
Would distributing condoms to young people in schools prevent them from being infected with the disease? Would it stop the escalating number of Filipinos getting sick with AIDS?
No, because while condoms may help people avoid these dreadful viruses, there are sexually-transmitted diseases that can be contracted even while using condom.
Human papilloma virus. HPV is the most common sexually-transmitted infection. There are over 100 strains of the virus; some of which go unnoticed, and seem to cause no symptoms at all. Other strains can cause genital warts or various cancers. Because the warts can grow on parts that are not covered by a condom, HPV can be spread via skin-to-skin contact. What’s worse, there is no male STD test for HPV, and many cases show no symptoms; so it is often passed on unknowingly to their partners.
Genital herpes is a viral STD that typically results in sores or lesions on the genitals, anus, or upper thighs. Since lesions or sores can occur on parts of the genital region that is exposed even with condom use, it can be spread from partner to partner.
Syphilis is a highly-contagious bacterial infection that spreads through sexual contact, including oral, vaginal, and anal sex. Syphilis sores occur at the infection site, and can be contracted by a partner via skin-to-skin contact, regardless of condom use.
Pubic lice, also known as crabs, are most common among teens, and are typically spread during sexual or skin-to-skin contact. The lice thrive on pubic hair, and can spread whether or not a condom is used.
Molluscum contagiosum causes small red or pink raised bumps to form on the body. These firm bumps sometimes have a concave appearance and are painless. They occur on the genitals from skin-to-skin contact with an infected individual.
These are just some of the known viruses that condom use cannot prevent. So are you still confident that as long as you use condoms you will not get STDs?
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Author’s email: wea_129@yahoo.com
