TAC says that condom shortage needs to be addressed immediately

By Cindy Witten
28 November 2008

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) says that shortage of government condoms being distributed needs to be addressed urgently. Statistics taken from the last count revealed that the shortage stands at 340 000 condoms.

Rebecca Hodes from the treatment action campaign says that the reason for the shortage is that there was a month delay in the awarding of the tender that the state awarded from its previous supplier of condoms to its next supplier.

“It’s unfortunate that this has happened, but what’s necessary is that we have much greater transparency, that we have more watch dogs sitting and making sure that these shortages are firstly prevented and that they are immediately addressed if they arise.
“We need more cooperation and more transparency and more communication and more work to ensure that treatment and prevention of HIV and TB are continued forward, as are the rights of all South Africans,” said Hodes.

Hodes added that with the festive season around the corner, the time when people have increased mobility, it is vital that the matter is addressed and that the correct measures are taken to rectify the problem.