KATHMANDU, JAN 17 - Population Services International Nepal (PSI/Nepal), a social marketing organisation, has launched the Number One condom in a single-pack.
"It is believed that there is a significant portion of high-risk sexual encounters not being protected because single condoms are not readily available in the market," said Steven Honeyman, Country Representative of PSI. "To cater to this segment, the single-pack condom has been launched," he added.
The single condom pack is priced at one rupee and will be widely available across the country. "Buying a single condom pack is like buying a cigarette stick instead of a whole packet. It is also easier for men to carry," said Dr Ram Prasad Shrestha, Director of the National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC).
Shrestha also said that the stigma associated with using condoms has considerably reduced in recent years. He credited the aggressive marketing campaign for making condoms more acceptable in the public. "The example of Thailand shows how condom promotion can reduce the incidence of HIV," he added.
In a PSI study conducted last year, 75 percent of adolescents admitted their friends had engaged in unsafe sexual activities. "The promotion of condoms is extremely necessary today to control the HIV/AIDS epidemic," said Dr Shrestha. Currently, UNAIDS estimates that 61,000 people are infected with the virus in Nepal.Posted on: 2004-01-18 02:27

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