Mrs. Lathika Charan, IPS, Chennai City Police Commissioner has released the First Female Condom at a function held at Chennai in the presence of Mr. V.K. Subburaj. I.A.S., Health Secretary, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Dr. K. Manivasan. I.A.S., Project Director, Chennai Corporation AIDS Prevention and Control Society and Mrs. Supriya Sahu, I.A.S., Project Director- Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society.
A Female Condom touted as a women empowerment tool in HIV/AIDS prevention was launched in Chennai on 14th March 2007 as part of a pilot project of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) with the Technical support from Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT).
Tamilnadu is one among the 4 HIV/AIDS high prevalence states in the country selected by NACO/HLFPPT to carry out the Female Condom social acceptability study among the sex workers.
It is proposed to promote 60,000 pcs of female condom in six months period through peer educators in the sex workers circle in Chennai, Vellore, Salem, Kanyakumari, Trichy and Madurai.
The imported female condom made out of poly urethane synthetic material with an actual cost of Rs.60/- will be made available to sex workers at an highly subsidized rate of Rs.3/- per piece.
