Health minister urges people to abstain or use condoms

HEALTH and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa has urged people to use condoms to prevent the rise of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

He said, "Please let's prevent STIs because when you get an STI, you're susceptible to HIV infection. If you can't abstain, then use a condom.

"We're failing to understand a situation where HIV infections are going down and STIs are going up, this means that eventually HIV infections will go up," added the minister.

He said the country's HIV prevalence rate stands at 15 percent, adding that the target for zero infections was still achievable through male circumcision and the consistent use of male and female condoms.