Controversy behind Max Condoms

By: Nonhlanhla Makinta Lebogang Nkhabela Thabang Ramphisa and Siyabonga Magazi.

The deputy president of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa officially introduced new condoms called Max condoms on the 1^st of September in 2016 in parliament. Max condoms have been introduced as the new brand to replace the Choice condoms issued by the National Department of Health. However, the health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi launched the new condoms in Durban at the international Aids Conference in June 2016. This comes after the social perception of the society about the previous Choice condoms, that they smell bad, boring, make noise and too oily.

The max condoms were aimed at increasing prevention in the country, Ramaphosa said. There are existing ways that people can use for prevention such normal choice condoms, contraceptives and abstinence that do not require government to spent more money on that already exist. The max condoms are just an extra cost to what already exists.

The money spent on Max Condoms could have been used for public services such as sanitary pads for women, school buildings in rural car routes, water, electricity and tertiary funding. 

The upgrading of choice condoms to flavoured max condoms is a waste of money. There are bigger priorities that are important and needs the government’s attention and funding. At first, the aim of launching free condoms was to reduce the cost of spending more money on HIV/AIDS treatment. How Africa reported, “South Africa is the country in the world with most HIV patients. It has about 5,600,000 patients reported to be HIV positive which is the alarming situation. It accounts for about 12% of the total South African population suffering from this epidemic and according to the estimates every year 310,000 people die due to this illness”. The research proves that since the max condoms, let alone free condoms in general were launched from 2003 till today, however the aim has not been achieved.

“Now, through scientific development, we were able to develop a new condom which is called Max. Max is for maximum pleasure and protection. It does not make noise at all. Not only have that, but they now come in different flavours. If you want a grape flavour, here it is. If you want an apple flavour, you can get an apple flavour.” Said Ramaphosa in Parliament.

It is understandable that the upgrading of the max condoms is important for the prevention of teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS but the choice condoms were proven to be of quality by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). The max condom is indeed the waste of money.

Sources:

News24

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...ament-20160901

http://howafrica.com/top-8-african-countries-largest-hivaids-patients-september-ranking-sa-remains-top/