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Uganda has launched special condoms named ‘Ulinzi’ (Protection) for the Ugandan People's Defence Force (UPDF) to use on tours of duty.
The condoms were handed over to the UPDF at their headquarters in Bombo district in Uganda.
According to Chief of Staff Brigadier Leopold Kyanda, a soldier would not be able to defend the country if he does not protect himself from HIV infections.
"HIV has continued to pose a significant public health and security challenge and the Ulinzi condom is going to be a milestone for the prevention of HIV/Aids,” Pulse Live quoted Brigadier Kyanda as saying.
BBC reported that close to 6% of Ugandan adults are living with HIV but developments have been made in taming new infections.
The army has been known to have a high rate of infection.
According to National Condom Coordination officer Vastha Kibirige, the condoms should be able to stop soldiers bringing back HIV after missions.
"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 NTV Uganda.
According to the UN’s HIV/Aids organisation UNAids, 74,000 Ugandans died of Aids in 1999 but the number has drastically reduced with an estimated 26,000 people dying of Aids-related illnesses in 2017.
Uganda has run prevention campaigns among the citizens who now have greater access to antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) that prevent the growth of the virus.
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