 |  |
| |
|
March 03, 2007
Prophylactic Protectionism
The World Bank and the UK’s Department for International Development have refused to finance the Indian government’s purchase of condoms to fight HIV/Aids because of an alleged lack of transparency in procurement procedures, the Financial Times has learnt. The government now obtains condoms from local manufacturers such as the state-owned Hindustan Latex, which supplies hundreds of millions of contraceptives required under National Aids Control Program-III, a five-year plan starting next month. HIV prevention organisations are angry about the high cost of government-procured condoms, saying that scarce funds are being wasted in India, which has the world’s biggest HIV caseload, according to UNAIDS, with an estimated 5.7m carriers last year. “Domestic preference is playing a role here that it wouldn’t in other countries, leading to a situation where India is paying 30-40 per cent more than the world average,” said a senior international civil servant running an HIV programme in India. “It is very frustrating but the government says it’s non-negotiable.” K. Sujatha Rao, director-general of the National Aids Control Organisation, which runs the NACP-III, said she knew donors wanted international bidders involved in the procurement process but quality was a critical issue. “Korean condoms are very cheap but they are quite suspect and are bound to be disastrous. I want good-quality condoms,” she said. South Korea's birthrate is about 1.15 child per woman. While there are many other ways to prevent pregnancy, a 1.15 birthrate doesn't suggest Korean condoms are of such a "suspect" quality that they lead to "disastrous" results. Posted by E. Frank Stephenson at 11:49 AM in Economics
|
The statesman who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals would not only load himself with a most unnecessary attention, but assume an authority which could safely be trusted, not only to no single person, but to no council or senate whatever, and which would nowhere be so dangerous as in the hands of a man who had folly and presumption enough to fancy himself fit to exercise it. -Adam Smith
Our Bloggers
Joshua HallRobert Lawson E. Frank Stephenson Michael C. Munger Lawrence H. White Craig Depken Tim Shaughnessy Edward J. Lopez Brad Smith Mike DeBow Wilson Mixon Art Carden
Blogroll
Search
Archives
By Author:
Joshua HallRobert Lawson E. Frank Stephenson Michael C. Munger Lawrence H. White Edward Bierhanzl Craig Depken Ralph R. Frasca Tim Shaughnessy Edward J. Lopez Brad Smith Mike DeBow Wilson Mixon Art Carden
By Month:
December 2008November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004
Powered by
Site design by |
