Condom prices have risen up to four times compared to last year, making safe sex costlier and presenting the Kenya Kwanza government with a fresh health headache linked to sexually transmitted diseases and weakened family planning programmes.
A spot check by Nation
Suppliers have blamed high taxes for the runaway prices of imported products that have forced some sexually active partners to discard the items from their shopping lists.
“I used to buy a packet of Skyn condoms for Sh500 but now I have to part with Sh1,500. Having sex has just become too expensive,” laments Ms Mercy Wairimu from Nairobi.
“Early last year, Trust Classic, which was Sh50 last year, is now Sh200 while Trust Studded, which was Sh100, is now Sh250,” says Ms Lucy Muchiri who runs a liquor store in Kiambu.
At Carrefour, a packet (3 pieces) of Durex Performa goes for Sh 605, Sh406 for Durex Extra Safe, Sh457 for Durex Featherlite with a 12 pieces pack of the same going for Sh1,315 and Sh406 for Durex Select Flavours.
Ms Elizabeth Wanyiri, who runs a clinic and a pharmacy in Kiambu, says more patients are showing up with infections. “We are now treating more sexually transmitted infections compared to last year and many of the patients I have treated tell me that their condom burst while they were having sex. Many more disclose that they have been having raw sex as they cannot afford condoms nowadays,” Ms Wanyiri says, adding the prices of almost all contraceptives have also gone up.
Ms Wanyiri says the number of Kenyans requesting for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) drugs has risen. PEP is a combination of HIV drugs that can stop the virus from taking hold and must be taken within 72 hours (three days) though doctors say they should be taken as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours.
“This shows you that more and more people are having unprotected sex. They should, however, remember that PEP is not a 'morning after pill' for HIV and it's not guaranteed to work,” Ms Wanyiri says.
“It’s meant as an emergency measure to be used as a last resort such as if a condom fails during sex.”
“More and more men are now buying P2s which go for Sh100. There are some I have seen buy on a weekly basis and if the same woman is popping them weekly, that is detrimental to her health,” Ms Wanyiri cautions, explaining that a woman should not take the birth control pills more than once within one menstrual cycle.
At Thika Road Mall (TRM), Saturday Nation
“We used to include condoms whenever we came shopping last year but we stopped since the prices of condoms are now competing with the prices of food commodities. Though my girlfriend has mixed feelings about unprotected sex, what do we do?” Brian poses.
Ms Mary Otieno, who works at a massage parlour in Kisumu City, says she is torn between buying condoms with the little money she makes and using her earnings to feed and clothe her two-year-old daughter.
“Sometimes you get male customers, especially married men, who apart from the full body massage, come for it. It is called ‘happy ending’ in our world. It is usually consented sex and they pay well but you see they don’t come with their own and so it is up to me to always stock up,” Ms Otieno says.
A spot-check in public health facilities and Huduma Centres around the country found empty condom dispensers as the free condoms that the government used to supply are no longer there.
However, Dr Edward Serem, the Director of Reproductive and Maternal Health at the Ministry of Health, said the country has enough condoms. “I can assure you that I checked our stocks and we have enough.”
