Senior Medical Officer Dr. Yitades Gebre and Chair of the Thoroughbred
Owners Association Howard Hamilton purchase condoms from one of the two
condom machine erected at Caymanas Track in St. Catherine.

Students at the University of Technology (UTECH) queued up at the newly installed condom-vending machine to purchase Durex condoms. This dual-purpose vending machine, which now only supplies condoms, was officially launched on March 17, 2004.

"Put two coins in simultaneously, turn the knob to the right and in your hand a condom," said Joi Chambers of the Adolescent Reproductive Health Unit, Ministry of Health who is leading this initiative. "If you really need a condom you can get it yourself without any obstacle. All you need is one 10-dollar coin and a 20-dollar coin.

UTECH is one of four entities to be involved as suppliers in a pilot project to test the viability of condom vending machines. One will be installed at the University of the West Indies (UWI), two at Caymanas Track Limited and the other five at venues relevant to the tourism sector.

According to Chambers, "the machines will make condoms accessible for any target group or individual facing obstacles. She led this pilot intervention as part of her unit's approach to reduce the incidence of adolescent risk behaviours. "Sexually active adolescents are among those who are restricted in purchasing or accessing condoms," Chambers stated. She conducted research via the Internet and persuaded the prevention and communication team of the National HIV/STI Control Programme to invest in the multi-purpose machines.

The idea has mushroomed into a pilot intervention with partners the National AIDS Committee, Facey Commodity Limited, UTECH, UWI, Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) and the entities within the tourism sector.

The two condom machines installed at Caymanas Park in St. Catherine will serve some five thousand men who socialize at the facility and scores of groomsmen, jockeys and other employees at the track.

The installation of the condom machines is part of a broader intervention at Caymanas Park. The St. Catherine Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) team will be conducting educational sessions on the prevention of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections, condom use skills and other matters pertaining to HIV/AIDS prevention.

In his address at the launch of the CTL HIV Prevention Project, Senior Medical Officer at the National HIV/STI Control Programme, Dr. Yitades Gebre noted that condom access must be increased for persons who do not plan ahead for sexual liaisons, and also for those who are not comfortable facing someone to get condoms.

"We must ensure that persons are sufficiently reminded about the need to practice safer sex. We must ensure that persons know how to use the condom correctly and everytime. And we must ensure that condoms are not difficult to get."

Dr. Gebre also expressed gratitude to all the entities that have joined in partnership with the Ministry of Health to improve condom access.