AP men used 5.5 cr condoms in 5 months

Inching close to  Uttar Pradesh, the largest consumer of condoms, Andhra Pradesh has finished off half of its yearly stock of condoms within the first five months of the 2012-13. The 100 per cent spurt in condom usage also has a positive bearing on Aids control programme.

 According to a study, increase in condom usage has reduced the risk of AIDS among the high risk group like sex-workers and truck drivers.

According to Dr P L Jayachandra Reddy,  joint director of the AP State Aids Control Society (APSACS), “There has been 100 per cent rise in condom usage in the state for the past four years.”

 For the first five months of 2012-13, nearly 5.5 crore condoms out of the 10.5 crore condoms supplied by the National Aids Control Organization (NACO) have been used.
There are only five crore condoms left for the next seven months.

The Aids Control Society is happy to note that last year, the condom stock supplied by the NACO got over  before the end of the year and the state was forced to request NACO and the neighbouring states to donate their surplus condoms for Andhra Pradesh.

Drop in HIV

When in comes to use of condoms, UP, West Bengal, and Maharashtra, are among the the top three.

As per the recent survey conducted by Aids Control Society (APSACS) and NACO, prevalence of HIV among female sex-workers has dropped from 11 per cent in 2008 to seven per cent in 2012, and HIV prevalence in homosexual community has come down to 10 per cent from 23 per cent. Also, there is a significant drop in sexually transmitted diseases.

“Just a few years ago,  the situation was so dismal that lakhs of condoms were lying wasted, having crossed their expiry dates because of no takers. But now, we are  struggling to get extra free condoms,” Jayachandra Reddy said. 

On the flip side, AP  still has the highest number of people (five lakh) infected with the HIV virus.

Currently, there are  2.8 lakh men and 2.2 lakh women in AP infested with AIDS.