The main agencies coordinating the initiatives to control AIDS in Tamil Nadu has unleashed a major campaign for encouraging the use of condoms to control the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS.

The Chennai Corporation AIDS Prevention and Control Society (CAPACS), a National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) funded agency to prevent the epidemic in Chennai city, is planning to conduct a three day condom carnival to 'take embarrassment out and excitement in' by having a stall with condoms from the world over on display and sale. Similarly, the agency plans to open a permanent exclusive condom shop in Chennai to sell different types and varieties of condoms from various parts of the world.

Another strategy of CAPACS, to be implemented within the next year, is to display two condom replicas of 30 feet high, on the beach and other places where youth gather. Important safety messages, free condoms distribution and awareness campaigns like condom quiz competition for adolescents will be held at the sites, sources told Pharmabiz.

According to sources with AIDS Prevention and Control project (APAC), the agency is in the process of tying up with manufacturers to supply condoms in remote pockets by subsidizing their expenses. In tie up with the condom manufacturers, the agency has launched a scheme to establish supply chains to stock small shops whose owners have been motivated to sell condoms. Innovative measures like enlisting village postmen and post offices to sell condoms, engaging cycle distributors in rural areas to carry condoms with other supplies, selling condoms at petrol bunks, introduction of single condom packs etc. are part of the initiative to popularize the use of condoms among the villagers of the state.

Targeting the urban population, APAC has published a booklet of jokes for distribution to take condoms into general conversation to overcome the taboos against and promote use of condoms. Another recent innovation was the 'condom savaal', a flashily painted games truck in urban centres hoping that, by high visibility combined with causal games, barriers could be broken. The agency also carries advertisements to eliminate anxiety at the point of purchase of condoms, and use celebrities to campaign for its usage. The Government of Tamil Nadu also has introduced commercial sale of condoms through 20, 000 fair price shops this year, said the sources.

APAC is the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) funded agency for AIDS prevention, formed by USAID, India Government and Voluntary Health Services of Chennai, an NGO.

Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TNSACS), APAC and CAPACS co-ordinate together with 164 NGOs in the state to fight against the spread of AIDS through various projects and programmes. TNSACS provides free condoms through the health care system including the STD clinics and NGOs, and subsidized condoms are sold in Target Intervention (TI) groups, said sources.