Brazil hands out condoms for Carnival safe sex

(February 9, 2004 - Disease Prevention)

BRASILIA, Brazil – Brazil Monday began handing out a record 10 million contraceptives to stop the spread of AIDS during Carnival when casual sex rises.

With the pre-Lenten festival less than two weeks away, the "nothing gets past a condom" campaign focuses on the 14 million Brazilians, or 15 percent of those sexually active, who don't believe condoms prevent the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus.

"Carnival is a time when there's a lot of contact, you've got people wearing very few clothes, which ends up stimulating more intense sexual relations," said Health Minister Humberto Costa, as he handed out the first condoms of the campaign aimed at middle class and poor Brazilian men between 18 and 39.

The promotion of condoms in this year's Carnival has upset Brazil's Catholic Church, which opposes the distribution of contraceptives by the nation's highly successful anti-AIDS program on the grounds that it promotes promiscuity.

Brazil is the world's biggest Roman Catholic country and the church has said Kama Sutra poses and condom themes in floats in this year's Rio de Janeiro Carnival parade, as promised by one Samba group, will mean Brazil is "discredited in front of the world with unacceptable scenes."

"We respect all religions' positions, our concern is the health of the population," said Costa, after he played a radio jingle "I'm the condom my love, you can get into this without any sweat, use me and abuse me, I'm the condom you can trust."

Keen to avoid any unnecessary confrontation with the church the minister had earlier vetoed the initial campaign's slogan "Put faith in the condom" proposed by the ministry.