Female Condom: South Africa Expands Program, Orders 1.4 Million
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Source: UNWire
http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/unwire.cfm#4
South Africa's Health Department has ordered 1.4 million female con-
doms, the Chicago-based Female Health Company said yesterday, bring-
ing the number ordered since 1996 to more than 5 million. The company
manufactures female condoms.
With the world's largest number of people with HIV/AIDS, 4.7 million,
South Africa has launched an aggressive prevention campaign, includ-
ing one of the largest and most long-standing female condom programs.
"South Africa continues to be at the forefront of strategically inte-
grating the female condom program into HIV/AIDS prevention strate-
gies," company President Mary Ann Leeper said. "We are delighted to
continue our collaboration with the national Health Department and
the Reproductive Health Research Unit to further education about pre-
vention and the female condom as a method to help reduce the risk of
HIV infection."
South Africa's most recent HIV figures "highlight the disturbing
trend that women in their early 20s have the highest infection rate,"
Leeper said. "It is precisely this audience that needs access to in-
formation, negotiating skills and the female condom."
Studies backed by the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS show that when the
female condom is available as an option, the incidence of sexually
transmitted diseases was significantly reduced compared to when only
male condoms were available (Female Health Company release, 27 Mar).
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