Crisis hits family planning

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: The government's family planning services have been affected by the current economic crisis because the prices of contraceptives have risen by 100 percent, a local family planning official said yesterday.

"The higher prices have certainly affected our services, especially self-reliant users," Lalu Sudirman, executive director of the local branch of the Planned Parenthood Association, said as reported by Antara.

He cited as examples the price of implant contraceptives, which has gone up from Rp 35,000 to Rp 70,000, while contraceptive by injection has risen from Rp 10,000 to Rp 15,000 and the price of an IUD from Rp 25,000 to Rp 35,000.

Lalu said clinics managed by the association would give discounts to poor people.

He added that the local branch's stock of contraceptives was sufficient to meet the province's needs for one year. (emb)