Living in the United States where I am surrounded by decadent lifestyles, fast-food restaurants where I can grab a full meal in two minutes, grocery stores packed to the 20 foot roofs with an abundance of food and household items and doctors with advanced medical equipment only a few miles down the road, I get spoiled into thinking the rest of the world has it this good. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In our world today, we hear of water shortages, food shortages and healthcare shortages. One shortage that does not get as much press, however, is the condom shortage that is happening across the globe.
It is no new concept that condoms are our best line of defense against unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases; with this knowledge in hand, how could we be experiencing a shortage of these inexpensive pieces of life-saving latex? In short, third-world countries do not have the quick access to condoms that Americans have grown accustomed to. Also, in many of these countries, condoms are not promoted for their life and health-saving benefits as they are in our country; instead, condoms are often given a negative spin in the press in these countries due to ignorance of their true value.
There are several factors that combine to result in the global condom shortage. One main factor is the resistance given by many factions, whether they are political or religious. The Roman Catholic Church, for example, bans the use of condoms and instead preaches abstinence. The United States can also be called conservative in that respect, as there are many influential groups who do not want condoms to be promoted to the youth, despite the glaring statistics of teenage pregnancy and STD rates of infection in this age group.
Governments of third-world countries play a large role in this shortage. Despite having money to do so, these governments disregard condom purchases in their yearly budgets, listing it as a low priority. On the other hand, if money is allocated for condoms in the budget, the money is not always efficiently used. Some healthcare organizations who receive budget money for condom purchase often have inadequate business processes established making the purchase of condoms implausible. Since funding may not be steady from year to year, surpluses are often bought and then shelved for long periods of time, making the condoms unusable.
Another factor that has resulted in the shortage is the lack of relation between sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Condoms can prevent both of these, but governments usually plug only one of these issues at a time. If these two major health benefits were consistently promoted together instead of separately, the urgency and necessity of condom usage would be relayed better amongst citizens.
Finally, unlike the United States where condoms can be found at the grocery store, pharmacy or local gas station at any hour of the day, most developing countries do not operate like this. Those in rural areas find it nearly impossible to locate condoms when they are needed. Even those in urban areas do not have condoms as readily accessible as they are here in the states.
Fortunately, many developing countries are beginning to turn a new leaf and seeing the true benefits of condom use. Several have already established national condom weeks in order to promote and distribute condoms to the masses. Hopefully, many more countries will follow suit.
For more information visit: The Global Condom Shortage and its Deadly Consequences