Concerned about the ongoing lack of free condoms in the African nation, civil society organisations in Kenya are urging the government to abolish charges on the import of condoms. According to the BBC, the government of Kenya can only supply 150 million of the 455 million condoms that are required each year.
The majority of the condoms used in Kenya are imported, but because of the high tariffs, suppliers are refusing to give them to the government to be given away for free. Numerous HIV sufferers live in Africa. Aproximate 34,000 new HIV infections per year are documented in Kenya alone. A rise in instances, particularly among sex workers, has been seen after the year 2020. To stop the spread of HIV and other STDs like gonorrhoea and chlamydia, the nation heavily relies on condoms.
The price of condoms on the market has grown as a result of the government’s high import levies. According to the BBC, a package of three condoms is marketed for USD 1, a price that is out of reach for many Kenyans. If the condom scarcity persists, activists have warned that Kenya may lose the advances it has gained in the battle against HIV.
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