No matter how you feel about it, let me reiterate the headline more clearly: If there’s enough evidence to back suspicion that your partner cheats, do well to provide him or her enough protection in the form of condom.
We are largely a society living with ‘dangerous high blood pressure of creed and severe anaemia of deeds’ and so it won’t surprise me that someone may view the headline of this writeup as an attempt to promote immorality. However, this writeup is predicated on the saying that “Those who ignore reality today only invite doom onto themselves tomorrow”.
HIV/AIDS reared its ugly head in the world for over four decades ago and the struggle to contain or eradicate it is yet to be fully realised. Over the years and most recently, thanks to proven medical breakthrough, this is not the most dangerous health problem.
HIV is not even dangerous compared to the likes of hypertension and diabetes. The most dangerous and deadly thing about this virus today is the shame or stigma associated with it.
This is not some sort of imaginative writeup; rather, it is borne out of painful real-life experiences observed at the labour and maternity units of health facilities. Read more here
Shame and stigma
I do encourage: If you know you cannot stand the shame or sigma associated with HIV; if you know you cannot travel from Accra to Kumasi just to take HIV pills because you don’t want to be identified with the virus, then do all you can to avoid getting it. One of the most effective means to do that is the headline of this writeup-encourage your cheating partner to use condom.
Joy and Sorrow at the Labour Unit
In Ghana, pregnant women do not have option to decline HIV testing once they visit health facility. Men gloat over yearly statistics indicating that more women are living with HIV than men. In my view, this may not be entirely true, looking at the substantial difference. The stat captures more women who get tested just because they are pregnant. Men, on the other hand are not forced to test merely because they got a woman pregnant. check the latest statistics
Some of these ladies after testing positive for HIV, do not understand how they got infected. For some, prior to pregnancy, tests show negative result. This is where some of them burst into tears and begin to blame their cheating partners.
Is it enough to be faithful?
It's not enough to be faithful to one partner; that may never protect you. Find out if your partner is also faithful and if he is not, encourage him to wear condom. This would reduce the risk of he/she going out there, contract STIs and bring them to you in the house.
Some ladies argue, “I don’t care if my man cheats, as long as he gives me enough money and provides my needs, I’m fine”. Well, that can be rephrased this way:
“I don’t care if my man cheats, as long as he protects himself by using condom, I’m fine”.
Better still, if he or she remains indiscipline and unfaithful, leave; or don’t allow him to have sex with you without protection.
