A family planning official told a press conference in Beijing on
Tuesday that the government is planning to spend 380 million yuan
(US$45.7 million) this year on contraceptive medicines and
devices.
Liu Jiwu, director of the National Population and Family
Planning Commission's contraceptive medicine and device development
center, said over 30 varieties of condoms and other prophylactics
will be bought to meet growing public demand for more contraceptive
options.
The government has procured and distributed an average of 1.2
billion condoms over the last few years, he said at a press
conference on the 3rd China Exposition on New Birth Control
Technologies and Products, slated for the capital on November
16-19.
The quantity and variety of contraceptives still falls short of
public demand, said Liu, as China has more than 250 million couples
at reproductive age.
While distributing more birth control medicines and devices to
targeted groups like migrant workers, Liu said the government will
gradually increase the procurement fund and take stricter measures
to reduce waste in its distribution and use.
(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2005)