Rise in STDs spurs calls for condom use

Officials and experts responsible for monitoring demographics and population growth are worried about a potential decline in family planning and an increase in sexually transmitted diseases when programs providing subsidized condoms are cut next year.

As Vietnam has reached the threshold of becoming a middle-income country, international provision and subsidies of condoms would be cut, said Do Ngoc Tan, director of the Department of Population and Family Planning.

He said that there had been no offers of subsidized condoms for the country's population and family planning program after 2010.

During the 1996-2009 period, the program supplied more than 1.2 billion condoms, of which 435 million were free and 780 million subsidized by up to 70 percent. The popular types of condoms supplied often ranged from VND1,000 to VND3,000 (15 US cents) in value.

It is estimated that from 2011 to 2015, the country would need about 2.3 billion condoms, costing about $57.5 million, Tan said. But currently only 62 million of condoms had been promised by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Nguyen Duc Son, an official from the Ministry of Planning and Investment the country could only afford a third of the total cost for condoms each year if it had to continue the subsidy.

Tan said that people in remote and poor areas all depended on the free supply.

Government programs promoting family planning and provision of free contraceptives had previously been carried out mostly in urban areas and big cities, Tan said, where people with higher incomes were willing to pay for condoms themselves.

However, the program should have been fostered in remote and poor areas, initially to provide access to low-priced condoms, with a gradual shift towards making people pay for the contraceptives themselves.

Duong Quoc Trong, director of the General Department of Population and Family Planning said that a comprehensive program to co-ordinate, manage and supply condoms must be set up.

Communications campaigns were also needed to encourage people to shift from receiving free condoms to buying them for themselves.

Other officials called on couples to financially shoulder the burden with the government.

Huynh Cao Hai, deputy head of the Sub-department of Population and Family Planning of southern Dong Nai Province said if couples could buy the condoms themselves, the program would be effectively sustainable.

Currently, only 20 percent of people who use condoms pay for them.

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Rise in STDs spurs calls for condom use

Officials and experts responsible for monitoring demographics and population growth are worried about a potential decline in family planning and an increase in sexually transmitted diseases when programmes providing subsidised condoms are cut next year.

As Vietnam has reached the threshold of becoming a middle-income country, international provision and subsidies of condoms would be cut, said Do Ngoc Tan, director of the Department of Population and Family Planning.

He said that there had been no offers of subsidised condoms for the country's population and family planning programme after 2010.

During the 1996-2009 period, the programme supplied more than 1.2 billion condoms, of which 435 million were free and 780 million subsidised by up to 70 percent. The popular types of condoms supplied often ranged from 1,000 VND to 3,000 VND (up to 0.15 USD) in value.

It is estimated that from 2011 to 2015, the country would need about 2.3 billion condoms, costing about 57.5 million USD, Tan said. But currently only 62 million of condoms had been promised by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Nguyen Duc Son, an official from the Ministry of Planning and Investment the country could only afford a third of the total cost for condoms each year if it had to continue the subsidy.

Tan said that people in remote and poor areas all depended on the free supply.

Government programmes promoting family planning and provision of free contraceptives had previously been carried out mostly in urban areas and big cities, Tan said, where people with higher incomes were willing to pay for condoms themselves. However, the programme should have been fostered in remote and poor areas, initially to provide access to low-priced condoms, with a gradual shift towards making people pay for the contraceptives themselves.

Duong Quoc Trong, director of the General Department of Population and Family Planning said that a comprehensive programme to co-ordinate, manage and supply condoms must be set up.

Communications campaigns were also needed to encourage people to shift from receiving free condoms to buying them for themselves.

Other officials called on couples to financially shoulder the burden with the Government.

Huynh Cao Hai, deputy head of the Sub-department of Population and Family Planning of southern Dong Nai Province said if couples could buy the condoms themselves, the programme would be effectively sustainable.

Currently, only 20 percent of people who use condoms pay for them./.

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Rise in STDs spurs calls for condom use

A health worker disseminates information about population and family planning to residents in the central city of Da Nang. Communications campaigns are also needed to encourage people to buy condoms for themselves. — VNA/VNS Photo Duong Ngoc

HA NOI — Officials and experts responsible for monitoring demographics and population growth are worried about a potential decline in family planning and an increase in sexually transmitted diseases when programmes providing subsidised condoms are cut next year.

As Viet Nam has reached the threshold of becoming a middle-income country, international provision and subsidies of condoms would be cut, said Do Ngoc Tan, director of the Department of Population and Family Planning.

He said that there had been no offers of subsidised condoms for the country's population and family planning programme after 2010.

During the 1996-2009 period, the programme supplied more than 1.2 billion condoms, of which 435 million were free and 780 million subsidised by up to 70 per cent. The popular types of condoms supplied often ranged from VND1,000 to VND3,000 (up to US$0.15) in value.

It is estimated that from 2011 to 2015, the country would need about 2.3 billion condoms, costing about $57.5 million, Tan said. But currently only 62 million of condoms had been promised by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Nguyen Duc Son, an official from the Ministry of Planning and Investment the country could only afford a third of the total cost for condoms each year if it had to continue the subsidy.

Tan said that people in remote and poor areas all depended on the free supply.

Need for change

Government programmes promoting family planning and provision of free contraceptives had previously been carried out mostly in urban areas and big cities, Tan said, where people with higher incomes were willing to pay for condoms themselves. However, the programme should have been fostered in remote and poor areas, initially to provide access to low-priced condoms, with a gradual shift towards making people pay for the contraceptives themselves.

Duong Quoc Trong, director of the General Department of Population and Family Planning said that a comprehensive programme to co-ordinate, manage and supply condoms must be set up.

Communications campaigns were also needed to encourage people to shift from receiving free condoms to buying them for themselves.

Other officials called on couples to financially shoulder the burden with the Government.

Huynh Cao Hai, deputy head of the Sub-department of Population and Family Planning of southern Dong Nai Province said if couples could buy the condoms themselves, the programme would be effectively sustainable.

Currently, only 20 per cent of people who use condoms pay for them. —VNS

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Officials raise alarm at rising spread of STDs

HA NOI — Officials and public health experts are concerned about the country's family planning sector and an increase in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Next year, the country's funds for condoms will expire and individuals will be forced to personally pay for contraceptives.

As Viet Nam approaches middle-income status, international aid for condoms would be cut down, said the Department of Population and Family Planning director, Do Ngoc Tan.

He said no international organisations were offering to supply condoms to the country's population and family planning programmes after 2010.

From 1996 – 2009, the programme supplied more than 1.2 billion condoms to the country, of which 435 million were free and 780 million were sold at subsidised prices. Condoms cost between VND1,000 to VND3,000 (up to US$0.15).

It is estimated that from 2011 to 2015 the country will need about 2.3 billion condoms, which would cost about $57.5 million, Tan said. Currently, 62 million condoms have been provided by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Nguyen Duc Son, an official from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, said if the country continued its subsidised contraceptive programme, Viet Nam would only be able to afford one-third of the total cost for condoms each year .

Tan said that people in remote and poor areas depended on the free supply.

Need for a change

The Government's social marketing programme, which is part of the population and family planning programme, will supply condoms to people at subsidised prices.

The programme is primarily carried out mostly in urban areas where people earn higher incomes and are willing to pay for condoms themselves. The programme would need to focus on remote and poor areas initially to provide access to low-price condoms and then gradually make people pay for contraceptives individually, Tan said.

General Director of the General Department of Population and Family Planning Duong Quoc Trong said a comprehensive programme to co-ordinate, manage and supply condoms must be set up.

Communication campaigns would be needed to encourage people to purchase contraceptives themselves and not to rely on free condoms.

Other officials have called on couples to financially share the cost with the Government.

Deputy head of the Sub-department of Population and Family Planning from southern Dong Nai Province Huynh Cao Hai said if couples could buy the condoms themselves, the programme would be sustainable.

Currently, about 20 per cent of people who use condoms pay for the contraceptives individually. —VNS

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