In Thailand, the health ministry announced that in an effort to stem the spread of AIDS, approximately 30 million condoms would be freely distributed throughout the nation. The announcement came on World AIDS Day, and the effort targets mainly girls between the ages of 15 and 19.

The Bangkok Post online reports that Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nop-amornbodi announced on the internationally observed World AIDS Day, December 1 2009, that there are about 30 new HIV infections in Thailand each day, with 358,260 citizens having contracted full-blown AIDS and 95,983 having died of AIDS-related causes.

He also said in his speech that of those infected, 84 per cent had contracted the virus through having sex with an infected person without a condom.

These 30 million free condoms are one of the important efforts being made by the country’s government to fight the spread of the disease.

Manit believes that the demographic of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 should receive special attention, as statistics show that this group had twice the infection rate of boys in the same age bracket. The health minister said this was because girls find it more difficult to insist on having safe sex with a condom or to simply refuse to have sex.

The government will also attempt to bring AIDS education to the community there, as well as to help the population accept those who have contracted the virus. Learning how to wear a condom will help prevent disease.

Condoms are an important tool in hindering the spread of the HIV virus. They are also the only known contraceptive that prevents both pregnancy and the spread of disease such as Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and syphilis. When used properly, condoms greatly reduce the risk of contracting an STI. A cure for AIDS has yet to be discovered, making the use of condoms during sex increasingly important.

NB: No method of contraception guarantees 100% protection