United States Blamed for Condom Shortage in Fighting AIDS in Uganda

Yesterday, UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa Stephen Lewis and several AIDS advocacy groups charged that a shift in U.S. policy is behind a condom shortage in Uganda. That shortage is putting many people -- particularly married women and young people -- at risk for HIV infection, they said. The critics said Uganda's health clinics need about 120-150 million condoms a year and that this year's supply of fewer than 30 million has already been exhausted. Privately purchased condoms have more than tripled in price, from 16 cents to 54 cents for a package of three, making them unaffordable for many Ugandans.

President Bush's $15 billion, five-year Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) emphasizes the ABC policy -- abstinence, be faithful, and use condoms. But Jodi Jacobson, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Health and Gender Equality, said "there has been a dangerous and profound shift in U.S. donor policy from comprehensive prevention, education, and provision of condoms to focus on abstinence only."

According to Lewis, "there is no question that the condom crisis in Uganda is being driven and exacerbated by PEPFAR and by the extreme policies that the administration in the United States is now pursuing." He said that he had not discussed the condom issue directly with PEPFAR officials.

Dr. Mark Dybul, PEPFAR's deputy coordinator and chief medical officer, said American officials in Uganda told him yesterday that there was no condom shortage, but there could be one if Uganda does not receive its current orders.

Mike Mukula, Uganda's state minister for health, said the country has enough condoms. "We just procured 65 million condoms about two months ago and another 80 million are on the way," said Mukula. He also contradicted the critics' estimate of Uganda's condom needs, saying the country uses around 5 million condoms a month.

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