UN to send free contraceptives

UN to send free contraceptives

JAKARTA: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is to send
a US$3 million emergency consignment of contraceptives to
Indonesia.

"The assistance is one of UNFPA's emergency projects in
response to the economic crisis," the UN Information Centre said
in a press statement yesterday.

Other projects include an international appeal to generate up
to $34 million to procure contraceptives in the 1998/1999 fiscal
year and the provision of up to $6 million to ensure access to
safe blood supplies through establishment of safe blood services
in 80 district hospitals.

The current economic crisis has undermined the government's
ability to provide contraceptives to poor people.

At the same time, their ability to purchase contraceptives has
been severely impaired by price increases which have resulted
from the severe monetary crisis gripping the country.