Are condom supplies sufficient and reaching those who need them?A

Are condom supplies sufficient and reaching
those who need them?
Condom promotion and distribution programmes have grown
significantly since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. Despite
this, it is estimated from a survey of 70 countries that only 18% of risky
sex acts in low and middle income countries in 2003 were protected
by condom use 42. In this survey, a risky sex act is defined as one with
a casual partner or with spouse, if at least one partner has contacts
with outside partners. UNFPA estimates that 8 billion condoms were
needed in 2000 for HIV/STI prevention alone, and that, by 2015, at
least 18.6 billion condoms will be needed (Figure 2) 43. These figures
exclude condoms needed for family planning purposes, and assumethat the condoms would, in any case, not be used consistently. Excluding the costs of
delivery, distribution, promotion or other services, it would have cost US$ 239 million
to procure the minimum number of condoms (8 billion) needed in 2000. This cost is
estimated to increase to US$ 557 million by 2015.
There are two important questions regarding condom supply:
• Are there sufficient resources to meet the demand?
• Are the available supplies of condoms reaching the people who need them most?