File Photo: DCW chief Swati Maliwal
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal has sought a detailed report from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) on the reasons for gap in supply of condoms in red light areas of the city and has asked it to resume the supply on an urgent basis.
Ms Maliwal said about 5000 women and hundreds of men at GB Road are at a high risk of contracting HIV and many may have already fallen prey to the virus due to a shortage in supply of condoms.
"During my visits to GB Road, I have discovered that sex workers have not been receiving condoms from last several months from the government. This makes the sex workers and others extremely vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases," Ms Maliwal said in her letter to NACO.
The DCW chairperson further said the commission had sought a report on the current status of supply of condoms to GB Road from the Delhi State Aids Control Society (DSACS) in which the latter stated that under the phase-IV of National AIDS Control Program they were supposed to have received 12 lakh free condoms per month from NACO which is a division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
"However, it is reported that no condoms have been received by DSACS since April, 2015, expect one time supply of 24 lakh condoms in May 2015. This has resulted in a severe crisis at GB Road and has exposed the sex workers and others to potentially high risk of contraction of HIV," the letter said.
"Please provide the Commission a detailed status report on the issue along with the reasons for the gap in supply of condoms. Also, please submit a detailed action plan of NACO on resumption of supply of condoms and methods that are being adopted to ensure that this crisis does not occur in future.
"DSACS has informed the commission that supply from NACO is expected to be resumed in the first week of October 2015. Kindly expedite the process and ensure the supply of of condoms at the earliest on an urgent basis," the letter added.