Over R2m worth of LifeStyles Condoms donated to Dis-Chem FoundationThere are 71,000 AIDS-related deaths across South Africa each year. Dr Mpumi Zungu, Director of HIV/STI and TB at the Human Sciences Research Council, told Cape Talk earlier this year that condom use is declining among young South Africans, with just 39% of the population aged 15 and over, using condoms during sexual encounters. This has contributed to an estimated 504,803 learners being identified as having various sexual health-related barriers to learning and being referred for treatment. LifeStyles Healthcare, a global leader in the sexual wellness sector, has donated more than R2m worth of LifeStyles® Condoms to the Dis-Chem foundation who in turn will be distributing the condoms to various NGO's across South Africa. “Globally, more than a million people contract an STD every day. The rates are even higher when one looks at millennials. Some of these STDs can also increase the risk of HIV infection. The most reliable protection against these diseases is the proper use of quality condoms,” says Jeyan Heper, CEO of LifeStyles. Jason Frichol, Managing Director of ACDOCO SA, the exclusive distributor for LifeStyles Healthcare in Southern Africa, continues “Also, access and use of contraception is a key challenge in our country, with unwanted pregnancies and baby abandonment rates on an acute rise. High-quality condoms are an effective solution to prevent unintended pregnancies too, beyond preventing the transmission of STDs. Governments across developing markets have challenges with condom distribution and, even more importantly, replenishment rates with their subsidised/free initiatives. This is further hampered by declining international funding, year-on-year.” “The Dis-Chem Foundation provided a consummate solution that rapidly distributed the condoms directly to the communities that need them most. This is just the start, and we plan to invest further in other sexual wellbeing platforms,” says Frichol. Dis-Chem Foundation Head, Sherry Saltzman said: “We are so delighted with this generous donation, which will form a pivotal part of sex education in communities across the country. All areas of public health are our concern – but sexual health is a major focus,” she says. For more information on LifeStyles, please contact az.oc.ocodca@ofni
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