Alex Kunda, who supervises a team of Medecins sans Frontieres counselors, said the young men living and working around Lake Mweru were at serious risk.
"Their mentality is to sleep with as many women as possible. Some see it as a sign of manhood," he said.
"There are many myths about condoms. They say that the lubricants give you a stomach ache, that it is dangerous to `bathe with a raincoat on' [have sex using a condom]. They abuse them. They make footballs out of them. The girls wear them as bracelets. Some businesses pay men in condoms now," said Kunda.
Veronica Muzinga, who employs two fishermen and exports the fish across the lake to towns in Congo, said the disease was rampant.
"It's because people from all over Africa go back and forth across the lake so much. There are many young men. They may have several temporary wives, they give the disease to the women and together they spread it everywhere. I have been coming here for 11 years and it's certainly worse," Muzinga said.
"There have been some good changes in five years. People are more aware. Everyone knows of HIV/AIDS now. Now some of the 18 to 24-year-olds come for condoms," Kunda said.
"They are getting information but we are never sure they are using condoms."
RSS