Teenagers in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand are being issued a Condom Card with 12 free passes to promote safer sex in a regional effort to curb teenage pregnancies and abortion.

The Condom Card scheme involves the use of cards similar to bus cards which enables teens to have access to free condoms in Hawke's Bay. The scheme, first implemented in Hawke's Bay, could go national if proven effective.

The cost of condoms and the embarrassment of being seen buying condoms were identified as the contributing factors to sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies.

Auckland University praised the Condom Card scheme. The university's adolescent health research group said the use of contraceptives among the youth has remained the same at a rate of less than 60 per cent even after 10 years.

The teen pregnancy rate in New Zealand is the second highest among developed countries. According to the latest statistics, more than 6,000 teenage Kiwi girls became pregnant in 2012.

Michele Grigg, the population health adviser of Hawke's Bay District Health Board, had taken the lead for similar schemes targeted to teens in Britain. Ms Grigg said it was time to be creative to help fight teen pregnancy.

Teens can consult their general physicians for condom prescriptions, partly funded by the local government. School health nurses and some youth clinics provide free condoms but not in all areas of the region. On the average, a pack of condoms is usually between $12 and $20.

In New Zealand's Hawke's Bay, more than 40 school counselors, youth workers, public health nurses and two pharmacists have been trained on the Condom Card scheme. Young people between the ages of 13 and 24 can consult them on safe sex. They are also trained to give advice regarding consent to sex and access to health services. Once teens are briefed, the scheme experts will issue the Condom Card.

Every time teens visit the pharmacist, they will be given a free packet of condoms, while the card is clipped. Ms Grigg said the conversations between teens and professionals will focus on safe sex.

Auckland University conducted an evaluation after six months of the scheme's implementation and found that 51 per cent of condom cardholders were young women mostly 16 years of age.

The scheme hopes that sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancy rates will decline especially in deprived areas in New Zealand like Wairoa.

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