Condom distribution in South Africa has dropped dramatically over the last five years, finds a Spotlight analysis of data recently published in the Health System Trust's District Health Barometer.
The large decline in condom distribution in South Africa is alarming in the context of the country's ongoing fight against HIV. While other biomedical interventions are now available to protect against HIV , condoms should remain a cornerstone of countries' HIV prevention strategies according to the World Health Organization.
Spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Health Department, Sizwe Kupelo, told Spotlight in response to questions for this article that in 2022/23"for most of the year there were no condoms to distribute". Kupelo added that condom supply in the province is now improving. He said that the province had reached 96.7% of its target to distribute 17 million condoms in quarter 3 of 2023/24 .Lungelo Ntobongwana, acting CEO of the SABS, told Spotlight that all condoms that are distributed nationally by the Department of Health are tested at the SABS condom laboratory in Groenkloof, Pretoria."The laboratory is an accredited and dedicated laboratory for the testing of condoms," he said.
Surveys conducted by Ritshidze in 2022, found that only 55% of sex workers could get enough condoms at public facilities. Ritshidze recommends that"condoms and lubricants should be available at all facilities and can easily be placed in the toilets or other areas of the clinic where people could take them without the fear of being seen and judged by others, or being told to put some back".
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