Despite continual advocacy, awareness of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services among young people remains alarmingly low.
A recent community-based study involving 325 youths aged 15 to 24 within the Calabar South Local Government Area in Cross River State reported that 94.8% of respondents were unaware of available SRHR services, while only 21.5% had ever accessed such services.
According to the study, factors such as a lack of information and poor youth-friendly service delivery are to blame.
Youths, particularly those between ages 15 and 24, remain the most vulnerable group due to limited access to contraceptives, early sexual debut and misinformation about protection.
The World Health Organisation has warned that failing to equip young people with accurate information and tools to practise safe sex will continue to fuel the cycle of infections and unplanned pregnancies.
The researchers recommended that the government, in partnership with communities and NGOs, intensify public education campaigns, train healthcare workers on SRHR standards, and expand access points where young people can obtain services without stigma.
Awareness drives at the Calabar Carnival, the state’s December fiesta, have fostered a supportive atmosphere, encouraging festival-goers to seek testing and counselling to help prevent the further spread of HIV, with a prevalence rate of 1.8% in Cross River.
According to NACA, the national HIV prevalence rate dropped from 1.9% in 2018 to 1.3% in 2023, largely due to improved testing, awareness campaigns, and the availability of condoms.
Yet states like Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom continue to report higher-than-average rates, especially in urban centres with high youth mobility and tourism.
Condom-dispensing points to the rescue
This underlines the new joint initiative between the Cross River State Government and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to establish 18 condom-dispensing points across Calabar.
The decision comes just weeks before the annual Calabar Carnival, which draws tens of thousands of visitors from across the world each December.
The dispensers, placed in strategic areas such as the University of Calabar, Marina Resort and Mary Slessor Avenue General Hospital, will provide free access to condoms for residents and visitors alike.
The aim is to increase the visibility and convenience of condom access to reduce barriers, such as stigma and cost, that have historically discouraged use among the youth.
Early findings from UNFPA-supported family planning initiatives in Lagos and Kaduna indicate that expanding access to reproductive health services, including distributing free condoms, can significantly boost uptake of modern contraceptives within the first few months of implementation.
Beyond distribution, the initiative integrates a wider campaign of sexual education, testing and counselling.
At several dispensing points, volunteers provide discreet guidance and link interested users to local SRHR centres for more comprehensive services. These efforts reflect a growing recognition that public health interventions work best when they combine access with awareness.
This isn’t the first time Calabar has taken bold steps in public health innovation. During the 2012 and 2016 carnival editions, mobile HIV testing units stationed near the Christmas Village recorded high turnout among young people, many of whom received condoms and counselling on-site.
Public health experts note that cities hosting large cultural events often see a temporary rise in STI cases, owing to the high incidence of random, unprotected sex.
Contraceptives are among the most cost-effective public health tools available. The UNAIDS reported that one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of HIV is the use of condoms, which is 98% guaranteed when used correctly.
Still, experts stress that real success depends on shifting social norms around condom use, especially among young men and women.
Barriers facing condom use
A community-based survey in Akwa Ibom, a neighbouring state, revealed that while a majority of respondents (67.5 %) reported using condoms during sexual intercourse in the previous six months, about 32.5 % admitted they had not.
The study identified stigma rooted in the association between condom use and HIV/AIDS, alongside familiarity with sexual partners and perceptions that condoms diminish pleasure or hinder intimacy, as the strongest barriers to consistent use among rural youths.
This perception gap shows why the Calabar initiative combines physical access points with sustained campaigns through schools, media, and local community networks.
The effort also aligns with broader global goals, such as the UNAIDS 95-95-95 target—aiming for 95% of all people living with HIV to know their status, 95% of those diagnosed to be on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression by 2030.
However, a complementary part of the state’s reproductive health strategy continues to emphasise abstinence particularly among adolescents and unmarried youths, as the most effective protection against sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies.
While condom use and contraception are essential, fostering self-discipline and informed decision-making remains central to safeguarding reproductive health and future prospects.
Summary not available at this time.
