Condom distributors Population Services International (PSI) has hiked the price of its flagship Protector Plus condoms to ZWL6 for a pack of three with effect from the 1st of August 2019.
The new price structure puts a dent on the country’s fight against new HIV infections considering that people will now have to fork more to be protected during intercourse.
Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV/AIDS is up in smoke following a move by condom distributors Population Services International (PSI) to hike the price of its flagship Protector Plus condoms to ZWL6 for a pack of three with effect from the 1st of August 2019.
In an internal memo seen by 263Chat, PSI announced that a pack of 25 will not be selling for ZWL$150 with a box now costing ZWL$6.
Condoms have been cited as one of the many ways of reducing new HIV infections and pricing is critical to ensure consistency of use among adolescents who are the most affected demographic population.
Early this year, distributors urged government to scrap duty on condoms to make them affordable to consumers.
“Pricing of our products has become stiff considering the current economic situation and the product is imported,” said Magna Chawira a pharmacist.
In response, a government representative Dr Owen Mugurungi from the Ministry of Health and Child Care committed to lobby for the reduction or complete scrapping of duty on contraceptives.
“Condoms are regarded as an essential commodity for the prevention of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted infections.
“So we will try and lobby for either the reduction of duty or the total elimination of duty and also charge very little VAT because there is a lot of people downstream who will benefit,” said Mugurungi.
