Uganda’s 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.
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.
“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.
