Latest update February 4th, 2025 9:06 AM
Condom social marketing programme wraps up
By Desilon Daniels
Following four days of undergoing a condom social marketing programme, a number of local civil society organisations (CSOs) are now better equipped to build stronger health programmes in Guyana.
Social Marketing Consultant, Sarah Romorini
The programme was held here by the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) and commenced on Tuesday.
For a few days, the local CSOs met with PANCAP Coordinating Unit’s Communications Specialist Monica Brinn and Sarah Romorini, Social Marketing Consultant for Population Services International (PSI).
According to Romorini, health programmes must be built to last and social marketing strengthens the delivery of health services in the long term. This strengthening, she said, occurred in both the public and private sectors.
“Social marketing is a tried and true approach for the last 40 years and by applying marketing concepts and techniques, we can influence behaviour amongst key populations,” Romorini said.
Guyana is not the first country within the region to benefit from the condom social marketing project. Romorini explained that PSI had recently visited Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In these countries, she said, the project proved to be a powerful way of reducing harmful behaviours.
More specifically, Romorini said that 200,000 men were reached in Haiti. She said too that condom use from commercial entities increased dramatically while sex workers indicated that they are more motivated and able to use condoms with their partners.
“The research also showed that the men that participated in these social marketing programmes were 100% more likely to support their partners if they decided to use a condom,” she said.
Meanwhile, in the Dominican Republic, Romorini said that positive trends were also displayed. She said one benefit following the social marketing in these countries was the easy availability of condoms via traditional and non-traditional outlets.
Romorini expressed hope that positive trends will also be noted in Guyana following the recently concluded interactions.
The social marketing consultant emphasised that knowing and understanding target groups was important and was a method of drafting projects. She added that the foundation is an evidence-based approach.
“We need to use all of this research to give them a name, a face to their values and aspirations, their beliefs, and what’s driving their current behaviours,” she said.
Romorini explained that social marketing allowed for improved condom access, along with making affordable options more widely available in the market.
“Social marketing results in increased demand which in turn increases use,” Romorini added.
However, she said, the work did not stop at increasing access.
“Remember, products are a means to an ends, so this was complemented by a comprehensive and integrated behaviour change programme.”
Romorini restated that social marketing projects motivate lasting behaviour change which, in turn “creates healthier communities, which in turn create healthier countries.”
The behaviour change programme was implemented with clinics offering affordable services. There were also intensive behaviour change communication programmes through interpersonal techniques and mass media.
Romorini added that social marketing allowed key groups to understand the benefits of correct and consistent condom use. She also emphasised that condom social marketing not only benefited commercial entities but also public health.
Brinn explained that she and Romorini worked along with a number of Georgetown-based civic society organisations including SASOD, Guyana Sex Workers’ Coalition and the Guyana Youth Action Network.
After Georgetown, the communication experts moved on to New Amsterdam and then finally to Linden.
Romorini said that the forums were tackled through continuous dialogue, evidence-based strategies and qualitative and quantitative research to influence programme design. The design constantly surrounded key groups, including sex workers and men who have sex with men, with emphasis on removing stigma and discrimination against ones who need it the most.
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