Do Belizeans especially those who are engaged in risky sexual behaviour
have access to methods of protection? While a recent study revealed that condom
sales have increased the survey conducted by the Pan American Social Marketing
Organization, PASMO, also revealed that half of those persons who live in vulnerable
populations in Belize do not have access to condoms that’s because only
fifty percent of the outlets in their communities carry the product. Today PASMO
presented the results of their four month study as well as the way forward.
Judy Heichelheim, Deputy Regional Director – PSI
“There are many factors that could influence that. Some of it maybe
the distribution networks themselves. We are also, in our projects, we are trying
to increase distribution into high risk outlets that are considered non-traditional
outlets which means we are more likely to be the ones pushing the distribution,
that the markets don’t pull it in automatically. So it is a matter of
educating and persuading retail owners to actually make the products available
there.
We’ve defined the high risk zones and the methodology that we use
require that we identify 19 zones across the country and then we went and collected
data in different types of outlets; pharmacies which are considered traditional,
supermarkets, shops, small groceries – which are considered none traditional,
and then high risk outlets which are things like brothels, motels, hotels.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
How do you see this information helping Belize in its fight against HIV and
Aids?
Judy Heichelheim,
“This information helps us to figure out if people have access to
the tools that they need to protect themselves; condoms and lubricants and particularly
people that are engaging in high risks behaviour. So this information helps
us and it helps our partners, for example the people who are distributing free
condoms also can use this information to understand where can we put the condoms
so the people have the easiest access to them, are there barriers to people
actually using the product because they can’t get to the product.”
The study was conducted between November 2007 and February 2008.
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