Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF), has urged the government to lower taxes levied on condoms that is making the commodity out of reach to many Kenyans.
Speaking at the commemoration of world condoms day, Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Country Director, Dr Samuel Kinyanjui urged the government to lower taxes saying that heavy taxation of condoms continues to limit access to the commodity consequently, making donors to hesitate to further fund additional costs in terms of taxes therefore impeding access in the country.
“Free distribution of condoms is vital to sustaining or increasing use throughout Kenya playing an important role in prevention for the portion of the population who cannot afford to buy premium products,” He said adding that “Donors are saying that they cannot donate condoms for free, pay for logistics and additional government taxation therefore taxation of condoms continues to limit access to the commodity.”
He added that, Kenyans need at least 450 million condoms annually, yet the government procure and distribute only 150 million therefore donors and private sector partners plug in to fill the additional 300 million condoms a year.
Condoms serves as a crucial means of safeguarding against unintended pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and HIV.
According to CEO National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) Dr Ruth Laibon Masha government is in talks with stakeholders to reduce the prices of condoms. We have taxation regime that levies tools and products making private sector condoms and donations taxed.
“We do advocate as stakeholder coordinating multi sector approach that condoms should not attract any added cost because they save lives, we have been operating with gaps over the years over resources because we have been over relaying in external donors for condoms, over 80 percent of our condom market is public sector with commercial sector and socially marketed enjoying only two percent of market share therefore as a country we have to look at hue resource to make sure that we have enough condoms to satisfy every need,” Dr Masha said.
She added that the government is looking at partnerships to locally manufacture the product to enable access.
World Condom Day also known as International Condom Day is celebrated on February 13 every year, one day before Valentine’s Day.
The day, celebrated across the world was created by the US-based nonprofit AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which was established in 1987 in reaction to the HIV/AIDS crisis.
