Men within the Sarpeiman community in the Ga West District prefer preventive contraceptive methods in comparison to their female counterparts who frequent the pharmacy for emergency contraceptives.
The contraceptive method of choice for women is Postinor 2, an emergency contraceptive pill that prevents pregnancy when used up to 72 hours after having unprotected sex.
The Pill and female condoms are hardly patronised. This was attributed to fears regarding the side effects of taking contraceptive pill and the discomfort of using the female condom, which deter many from patronising it.
Mr. Obiri Yeboah, an assistant at Hebrews Pharmacy at Sarpeiman, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the shop had recorded steady stream of men who purchase condoms on a daily basis.
He said men did not have specific preferences regarding brand or flavour, but buys whatever is in stock.
He noted that the use of condoms alone is effective in reducing the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, but not enough to prevent unplanned pregnancies, hence the use of Postinor 2, usually called the “morning after” pill.
Mr. Yeboah appealed to women to subscribe to preventive birth control measures and seek assistance from health personnel to find the method that is suitable for every individual.
Besides contraceptives, members of the community usually frequent the pharmacy for a wide range of drugs with anti – malarial drugs, cough mixtures for children and blood tonics high on the list of purchases made daily.
Mr. Yeboah advised against purchasing drugs from random salesmen who are more likely to deal in stolen or fake pharmaceutical products.
During the visit, GNA observed that the shop had in stock the Durex, Rough Rider and Kiss brands of condoms.
The prices range from an average of Ghc1.50 to Ghc20.00.
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