AHF to Launch Popular ‘Love Condoms’ Campaign Worldwide

On the Heels of Recent and Successful Campaign Launches in Swaziland and India, US’ Largest AIDS Group Partners with Respected Local Groups in Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific Region in Ambitious Free Condom Distribution Campaign and Increased HIV Testing Efforts in Hard-hit Countries

By: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Los Angeles, CA - July 28, 2009

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is proud to announce the global launch of its popular ‘Love Condoms’ campaign—innovative, local free condom distribution campaigns and stepped-up free HIV testing efforts in several hard-hit countries—with a series of events in numerous countries around the world. The various worldwide launches, which will take place beginning with an event in South Africa on Saturday, August 1st, come on the heels of AHF’s recent successful launch of the ‘Love Condoms’ campaign in Swaziland and India, where the innovative HIV prevention and awareness campaign was well received by the target audience—the public—as well as local and national media.

“The ‘Love Condoms’ campaign that we are now launching globally features AHF’s own specially-branded ‘LOVE’ condoms—eye catching, bright red foil condom packets with the word ‘LOVE’ printed on the wrapper which is also printed with the url ‘getfreecondoms.org’,” said Terri Ford, Senior Global Policy Director for AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “These condoms will be distributed for free in countries across the globe where AHF has existing partnerships and/or treatment clinics as well in other countries that have shown an interest and willingness to participate in this important awareness and prevention campaign. I was honored to participate in the recent campaign launch in India, noting that the worldwide launch of the ‘Love Condoms’ campaign offers us a new beginning toward restoring the condom to its critical place at the front-line of effective global AIDS prevention and control. Combined efforts that include encouraging the widespread use of condoms, community testing and universal access to antiretroviral treatment will bring new infections down drastically.”

“I see this ‘Love Condoms’ campaign as just the beginning of a worldwide movement that can take safer sex to a higher level worldwide,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “It is my hope that each of our partners in these coming campaign launches over the next few weeks enjoy the same successes as were seen in both Swaziland and India.”

SWAZILAND: ‘Love Condoms’ Campaign Launch

Swaziland kicked off its ‘Love Condoms’ campaign on July 10th with an official press conference and community march in Manzini. The Swazi group also produced four compelling safer sex print ads promoting condom use and regular HIV testing; one ad features the Honorable Owen Nxumalo, the Manzini City Mayor, who urges people to get tested for HIV every three months in his ad.

“The launch of our ‘Love Condom’ campaign in Swaziland was met with unprecedented enthusiasm and reignited a keen interest among both the media and the general public about HIV prevention, condom use and the entire rapid HIV testing process,” said AHF’s Dr. Nduduzo Dube, Medical Director, Lamvelase Help Centre, Manzini, Swaziland. “The demand for our ‘Love Condoms’ is overwhelming: all the people who have seen us on TV and in the paper are asking for these condoms. And throughout the weekend of our launch in early July, our free HIV testing event drew more and more people as word spread about the campaign and our popular free condoms.”

Swaziland, which has the world’s highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, 33.4 percent of adults aged between 15 and 49 are HIV positive, has limited HIV/AIDS and ART services. Before the opening of Lamvelase Help Centre, Manzini, the largest city in Swaziland, had only one hospital providing lifesaving antiretroviral therapy.

INDIA: ‘Love Condoms’ and ‘Stay Negative’ Campaign Launch

AHF India Cares launched its ‘LOVE Condoms’ campaign in the New Delhi region on July18th The campaign launch included the distribution of free AHF ‘LOVE’-brand condoms, as well as the unveiling of a ‘Stay Negative’ public service advertising campaign. Bollywood actor Ronit Roy was the chief guest at the launch event, held at Metropolitan Hotel Nikko, New Delhi.

At the campaign launch, Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing, Asia Pacific Bureau Chief for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, remarked, “With the vast majority of the population still having difficulty accessing free condoms, this advocacy initiative will in many ways enhance government initiatives on HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs. There are many uncertainties when addressing people’s sexual behaviors, but the one thing we know for sure—HIV testing, detection and linkage to medical care—works. The best way to break the chain of infection is for people to get tested and know their status.”

AHF, which operates the largest community-based alternative HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing program in the region, also launched an innovative and eye-catching Delhi/NCR HIV prevention and testing campaign urging the public to “Stay Negative” and to visit www.freehivtest.net to find out where to get tested quickly, conveniently and at no cost.

About The ‘Love Condoms’ Campaign

This campaign is aimed to bring public-private partnership to address access to free condoms and shall complement ongoing social marketing and free distribution of condoms promoted by GOI. Health is a state subject and we are particularly interested to interact directly with the decision makers at the helm of affairs to keep transparency and accountability at the forefront of our campaign.

The LOVE Condom Campaign’s goal is to scale-up global support for renewed condom usage by distributing TEN MILLION WHO approved, high-quality condoms FREE of charge to any individual, non-governmental or government agency that makes a commitment to support the campaign’s aim of achieving 100% access to free condoms worldwide. To achieve ‘Global AIDS Control’ an aggressive re-integration of condoms is critical to success. The ABC model of Abstinence-Be Faithful-Condoms, proven to be so successful in countries such as Uganda, loses its strength without the C – CONDOMS. The campaign vows to base public health initiatives on science rather than on political or religious motivated agendas. The time is now to call for CONDOMS to be brought back to the forefront.

Why are Condoms So Important for Global HIV and STD Control?

If global AIDS control is defined as an absolute reduction in the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the world, condoms are the key to successfully achieving that goal. Access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment has played a crucial role in bringing hope to millions and in also motivating masses of people to be tested. The huge success of the recent World AIDS Day ‘1 Million Tests campaign’—during which men, women and children lined up across the globe to be tested—demonstrates that people want to know their HIV status.

The simple formula for global AIDS control involves identifying those who are undiagnosed and linking them to treatment, which will render them less infectious. In addition, we must promote the only known method for preventing the sexual transmission of HIV: condoms.

Condoms are cheaper and are relatively easy to use. They are almost 100% effective when used correctly. Various societies have had success in bringing about higher acceptance of condom use. Many studies show that most people who know they are positive want to protect their partners. Lack of availability of condoms and their retail cost are significant factors in failure to use condoms.

Combined efforts that include encouraging the widespread use of condoms, mass testing and universal access to antiretroviral treatment will bring new infections down drastically.

Let’s bring the CONDOM back into the equation. Lives are at stake. To know more about LOVE Condom Campaign, visit www.getfreecondoms.org