In order to cope up AIDS in India, and particularly in females, Indian government will encourage the use of female condoms. Interestingly, female condoms are the only safeguard available to women against AIDS, and these have been quite popular among them too, as there has been 70% acceptability of them among Indian women.

 

NACO head K Sujatha Rao on the issue commented that female condoms have proved effective especially for home-based sex work but not so much for street-based prostitution, and they are working on a proposal to make available female condoms at just Rs 3, however they buy the same condom for Rs 23. Studies show that unprotected sex causes over 87% of the HIV infections in India.

 

A Ramadoss, India’s Health Minister said that around 38% of all new infections are occurring among women, and after successful distribution of 5 lakh female condoms the government will open 3 million condom outlets all across India. Farah Karimi of Oxfam commented that governments have failed to scale up female condom program, and now it should be given priority attention.