Mumbai hit by condom thefts

January 7, 2010

Indian city of Mumbai hit by condom thefts

By Prachi Pinglay

BBC News, Mumbai

Petty criminals who break into condom vending machines are causing concern among

Aids and HIV-prevention activists in the Indian city of Mumbai.

Over 3,000 condom vending machines have been installed in the city as a part of

an HIV Aids prevention programme.

However, more than 500 of the machines have been damaged by petty criminals who

break into them for fun, for small change or for free condoms.

During the Hindu Diwali festival some were even damaged by fire crackers.

Rajesh Nainakwal from the Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trusts

(HLFPPT) - which provides the vending machines in conjunction with non

governmental organisations - said there could be several reasons for these

thefts.

'Stigma'

" These machines are installed in areas where high risk people like truck drivers

are likely to visit. Often these places also have drug addicts or petty thieves.

" A machine never contains more than 100 rupees ($2) but they may break it open

to sell the parts and buy drugs.

" Some may want condoms for free. Some may be against the idea of installing such

machines. It still carries a stigma. "

The damage to these machines is more than financial.

" When a machine is damaged then you have to factor how many people would go

without a condom. One of the guidelines is that a person should be able to

procure one within 15 minutes. It is not easy to get people to use to condoms

and take them from these machines. "

The Indian state of Maharashtra - of which Mumbai (Bombay) is capital - has one

of the highest numbers of HIV infected people.

Activists have now employed a security guard to prevent thefts from happening in

future.

More than 100 formal complaints have been made at various police stations about

the destruction of these machines.

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