Effective management of the quality of condoms in Vietnam, especiallythose being sold in the open market, was the focus of a workshop held inthe northern port city of Hai Phong on March 28.
The event was jointly organised by the General Office for Population andFamily Planning under the Ministry of Public Health and the UnitedNations Population Fund.
Addressing the event, Deputy HealthMinister Nguyen Viet Tien briefed participants on Vietnam’s strongachievements in the population, family planning and sexual health work.
Thenumber of people using contraceptive methods during sex in Vietnam hasincreased to 76.2 percent from 53.2 percent in 1988. However, condom useis still alarmingly low at 13.6 percent (although it has risenconsiderably from the 2.2 percent figure recorded in 1988).
The country has spent billions of dong improving access and awarenessof birth-control methods, while international partners have providedtechnical assistance, Tien said.
Recently, thecountry has been supplying contraceptive devices more widely, but theworkshop heard that state management agencies need to more closelymonitor quality standards to ensure safety for users.
Atpresent, the number of condoms offered by Government programmes andforeign donors only meets 15 percent of the total demand nationwide, theremaining 85 percent is provided by the free market.
Participants suggested that Vietnam should establish an officialmechanism to control the quality of condoms sold by private enterprises,as well as creating closer links between all concerned agencies toprevent violations in the selling of the product.-VNA
The event was jointly organised by the General Office for Population andFamily Planning under the Ministry of Public Health and the UnitedNations Population Fund.
Addressing the event, Deputy HealthMinister Nguyen Viet Tien briefed participants on Vietnam’s strongachievements in the population, family planning and sexual health work.
Thenumber of people using contraceptive methods during sex in Vietnam hasincreased to 76.2 percent from 53.2 percent in 1988. However, condom useis still alarmingly low at 13.6 percent (although it has risenconsiderably from the 2.2 percent figure recorded in 1988).
The country has spent billions of dong improving access and awarenessof birth-control methods, while international partners have providedtechnical assistance, Tien said.
Recently, thecountry has been supplying contraceptive devices more widely, but theworkshop heard that state management agencies need to more closelymonitor quality standards to ensure safety for users.
Atpresent, the number of condoms offered by Government programmes andforeign donors only meets 15 percent of the total demand nationwide, theremaining 85 percent is provided by the free market.
Participants suggested that Vietnam should establish an officialmechanism to control the quality of condoms sold by private enterprises,as well as creating closer links between all concerned agencies toprevent violations in the selling of the product.-VNA
