Amid high HIV risk, Maharashtra gets 12L condoms, but needs 80L

Mumbai

: Over seven months later, the state finally received 200 boxes of condoms from the National Aids Control Organization (NACO) on Sunday. Starting Monday, these will be distributed to NGOs and centers across the state. The HIV prevention program, not only in Maharashtra but nationwide, has been grappling with a shortage of condoms and occasionally testing kits since early this year, raising concerns about potential increases in transmission rates.

Officials from the Maharashtra State Aids Control Society (MSACS) revealed that the recent delivery of 200 boxes, amounting to nearly 12 lakh condoms, is just a fraction of the state's needs. Another 200 boxes are expected in the next ten days. However, the supply is akin to a drop in the ocean, and individual states will still need to procure significant volumes to meet the demand. Maharashtra, with almost 12 lakh people classified as high-risk for contracting HIV, has a quarterly requirement of nearly 80 lakh condoms.

The unavailability of condoms, testing kits and even antiretroviral medicines was a central point of discussion in a meet held in Delhi last week, said activist Ganesh Acharya. He said that several NGOs expressed their fears that female sex workers, who are one of the most vulnerable in the chain of transmission, may be forced to engage with some clients without protection.

Typically, NACO centrally procures condoms and distributes them to states, who in turn provide them to NGOs and Community Based Organization (CBOs) working with these populations. Sangita Manoji, a board member of a CBO, working with the female sex workers' community in districts of Maharashtra (Sangli) and Karnataka, described the dire situation regarding both condom supply and preventive medicine for sexually transmitted diseases. Her CBO received its last condom stock approximately five months ago. Operating under the umbrella of the NGO Sangram, Majoni mentioned that they were obtaining condoms from Sangram that was buying using its own funds and selling them to sex workers at a subsidised cost of Rs 1 per piece. "However, with condom box prices in the open market doubling to Rs 240, the distribution has become unsustainable even for NGOs on a daily basis," she said.