By HLUPEKILE NKUNIKA-
Social media appears to be packed with experts and many people seem to be comfortable to seek professional advice from those with whom they have no physical contact.
When it comes to bedroom aerobics, Zambia has seen social media pages sell or recommend herbs and what one would term best practices to maintain a sexual relationship.
While the advice and herbs may not work, a number of bloggers have become celebrities that keep women buying Internet bundles to be abreast with trending means of keeping a man.
But a video that went viral a few days ago, showing a lady advising fellow women to use an antiseptic liquid, raised debate on the safety of the suggested liquid.
In the video, the lady said the use of antiseptic liquid makes one to be appealing to one’s sexual partner.
A pharmacist, Daniel Kabani, explained that Savlon, which was the suggested liquid in the video, is an antiseptic substance that can be used according to hygiene practices.
He said the substance is medically harmless.
Mr Kabani, who was contributing to the debate generated by the circulation of the video, said the use of Savlon was safe as the ingredients in the antiseptic liquid were poor absorbed by the human skin.
“Most Savlon products are for the skin as it is able to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi. It is good to use in mild burns, blisters and other skin conditions to stop infection. It does not cause cancer,” he said.
He suggested that if diluted appropriately, Savlon could be safe to use.
However, medical doctors believe that a woman’s private part keeps itself clean as it regulates its own acidity to prevent the growth of bacteria and infection.
Dr Angel Mwiche, a gynecologist, advised women against listening to advice on social media unless is it proven by research.
Dr Miche, who is also Ministry of Health assistant director for reproductive health, said that the woman’s reproductive organ is created in such a way that there should be bacteria that should be there at all times.
“The pH (level of acids and bases which your body functions best) of the vagina should be acidic. By design, that tends to kill bacteria that are not supposed to be living in the vagina and if someone uses Savlon, they will be killing a substance that produces the acid and this will expose the vagina to other bacteria,” he said.
Dr Miche said Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) sometimes could be responsible for bad odour and that people should not insert any substance to improve the smell.
“Anyone who experiences a smelly private area should seek medical treatment,” he said.
He said people can avoid STIs by sticking to a single sexual partner because they collect different bacteria by having many sexual partners.
“You should understand that a normal woman’s private part should not have a bad smell because this gives a sign that there is a problem,” he said.
Dr Mwiche said only health experts can identify and treat the problem.
He said: “Health practitioners examine the problem and treat patients in line with the findings. You could be treating something which is not even there when you use Savlon.”
Traditional healers believe that inserting of substances in private parts should not be done unless it is intended to treat infection.
Traditional Practitioners Association of Zambia president Rodwell Vongo said inserting of herbs should only be used to treat infection just like conventional drugs.
Dr Vongo said women expose themselves to infection by inserting herbs in their private parts.
“We recommend drugs that should be taken orally to improve the private parts or indeed to make one warm,” he says.
Dr Vongo said times have changed and introducing foreign matters in the woman’s private part now poses a risk of life threatening diseases.
Dr Vongo noted that traditional healers used to prescribe herbs which women could insert in the private parts.
He said this should no longer be allowed.
“We totally agree with the paramedics who say women should not insert herbs down there. Times have changed and there are so many diseases now. Women risk developing cancer of the cervix,” he said.
As the debate continues, individuals are left with an opportunity to either believe the medical doctors and the traditional healers or avoid inserting the antiseptic liquid, or to use it, believing that the antiseptic liquid will benefit them somehow.
One thing for sure is that whatever the repercussions, the women stand to face the consequences as individuals for the actions they take. – ZANIS