India's attempt at condom vending machines slides away

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India's attempt at condom vending machines slides away.

Mon Mar 15,11:34 PM ET

BANGALORE, India, (AFP) - As he downs a pitcher of beer at a downtown pub in

this southern Indian techology hub, Mrinal Kotia is blissfully unaware that his

regular watering hole is part of an experiment to curb AIDS..

Hidden away at the entrance of the pub's dimly-lit washroom is a pink-coloured

condom vending machine.

But it is usually switched off, as India's first attempt at this discreet way of

promoting safe sex dies a quick death. " I am a frequent visitor to the ish

Pub, " said Kotia, 26, a call centre employee. " In the first place even if there

is a machine they have not displayed it properly. The public is not educated or

informed. "

The Rotary Club three months ago decided to install five machines, offered free

of cost by a private condom-maker, in pubs and at a liquor store in Bangalore, a

city of six million people. But the plan, which the club claims as India's

first, soon hit hurdles of maintenance and poor usage.

Pub owners said most customers who had had a few drinks thought the condoms were

offered free and tinkered with the machines. Currently only one of them is in

working condition outside Cyber Wines, a liquor store.

Ashok Sadhwani, owner of Pub World, said despite his repeated requests no one

from the company which made the machines came to repair them.

" I have ordered the machines out of my pub, " Sadhwani said. The machines stock

about 20 packs of condoms at a time. A buyer needs to insert three five-rupee

coins -- for a total cost of about 35 US cents -- for a pack of three condoms.

" Though we have embraced Western culture Indians are still shy and require a

little privacy when they buy a condom, " said B.V. Nagesh, who owns ish Pub.

" I think these machines will go a long way in removing that fear. "

" Sometimes by mistake these machines are turned off, " he said. India officially

has at least 4.58 million people with HIV)/AIDS, second only to South Africa's

five million, and a recent study warned that the figure could skyrocket if

urgent action is not taken.

Zachariah, president of the Rotary Club of Bangalore, said the condom

project was aimed at men and would prevent women from getting infected.

" People are tampering with it (the machines) as they think the condoms are free

of cost, " Zachariah told AFP. " I know there are only some 45 condoms sold in a

month (from the machines) but one must also take into account this is the first

of its kind in India. " She said the awareness of AIDS was very low in India.

" Step into a pub and one can see kids in the age group of between 14 and 18

years. They are ignorant of the disease and one has to create awareness about

the condon usage right from the schools, " Zachariah said.

Non-governmental organisations echoed her view but said just setting up machines

at public places frequented by youngsters would not help. " In south India AIDS

has a very high prevalence, " said Skill, project coordinator at

Freedom Foundation, which takes care of terminally ill AIDS patients. " The idea

is novel but it has to go hand in hand with education. "

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