Zimbabwe health minister David Parirenyatwa has urged local companies to manufacture suitable condoms for the country’s men and women.

Parirenyatwa said that most men in the country were complaining that condoms imported from China are too small for them.

The minister said this at the recent launch of a new board for the Zimbabwean Private Sector and HIV and AiDS Wellness Coordinating Programme (ZPSHAWP) in Harare.

Zimbabwe ranks sixth among countries with the highest reports of HIV cases in sub-Saharan Africa with 13.5% people living with HIV in 2016.

Since condoms are widely used for pregnancy prevention and protection against sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, it has a high demand in the country.

He said, “You know this region, the Southern African region, has the highest incidence of HIV and we are promoting the use of condoms; both males and females.

“The youths now have a particular condom that they like but we don’t manufacture them. We import condoms from China and some men complain that they are too small.

“We need to look at that; you need to able to have your own condoms. So, if you want to be a big businessman, then manufacture them (condoms) for the region.”

In 2016, an estimate of 109.4 million condoms were distributed around the country, representing 33 per individual per year.