The forgotten “Nirodh” condoms are set to return next month with a new sensuous package to attract gen-next Indians.
The health ministry has repackaged the product – once synonymous with family planning in India – in an effort to bridge the huge gap in the “unmet need” for contraception.
“Since there is 20-22 % unmet needs in contraception, we are repackaging Nirodh without any additional cost. The condoms are for free distribution,” C K Mishra, additional secretary in the health ministry said here on Tuesday. The repackaged Nirodh is likely to be launched in the first week of April.
Over the years, the condom from the government stable with staid packaging lost out to more attractive products from the private sector with photographs of glamorous models. Though the government spent between Rs 400 to Rs 1,000 crore on condom purchase for social marketing, Nirodh fell out of favour over the years even in the government circle.
In the commercial market, it has virtually been wiped off because of stiff of competition from pricier Durex, made by the Reckitt Benckiser Group and KamaSutra, made by the Indian unit of Australia's Ansell Ltd.
Indian firms TTK Healthcare and Mankind Pharma also sell condoms. The morning after pill used in the government programme has also been repackaged.
Scientific evidence shows access to family planning can reduce infant mortality by 10 per cent, childhood mortality by 21 per cent and prevent thousands of maternal deaths each year.
As high as 21.3 % of eligible Indian couples want to limit their family size but don’t have access to any contraceptives. m“Considering that 45 % of country’s maternal deaths occur in the age group 15 to 25 years where 47 per cent of the total fertility is also clustered, India is moving from limiting to delaying and spacing for wider health benefits,” said Health Minister J P Nadda.