Nkhatabay sex workers want bigger condoms for ‘extra-large’ customers

Women, who ply drinking places as commercial sex-workers at Nkhatabay Boma say the current standard male condoms do not fit some of their clients hence, the need for larger size.

The women disclosed this recently to journalists who interacted with them during the National AIDS Commission (NAC) tour to appreciate the challenges they face and their involvement in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

The queens of the night said they formed an association called Tipewe Commercial Sex-workers and that they had rules and regulations which include strictness on condom use, and regular voluntary HIV test.

The women, however, said the variation in sizes of their client’s manhood poses a great challenge when it comes to condom use saying the condoms hardly fit on the clients.

“Some men have got huge manhood that even overwhelms us and we struggle to accommodate them. Such huge manhoods hardly fit into the standard size condoms available and when they do, they burst in the process of the game,” explained one of the women who frequents the Town Council Bar and calls herself Melise.

The women said they alternatively use female condoms but some were quick to point out that most of their clients do not prefer it.

“We would like to appeal to condom manufacturers to consider producing a new brand which would fit those with extra large manhood,” added another Tipewe member, Sphiwe, and continued: “We hear they have introduced some condoms of smaller size, so why can’t they manufacture another brand of a larger size?”

But one known condom manufacturer and distributor in the country, Population Services International (PSI) said the organisation had never received any formal complaint.

PSI Project Coordinator for condoms, Brenda Kamanga, explained to Malawi News Agency (Mana): “We have never received any complaint on the matter. The current condoms measure 53mm in length and that was considered to be standard size that would fit all.

“But if we happen to receive any official complaint on the matter, we will carry out a research to determine whether there is need to introduce lager condoms or not.”

The Nkhatabay commercial sex-worker’s complaint follows UNICEF’s introduction of a new brand of smaller condoms targeting the youth in the country’s secondary schools and colleges.