Zimbabwe’s public health crisis is under threat due to record-high prices of condoms. According to a survey by iHarare, the cheapest option, Protector Plus, now costs nearly $1.50 per packet, while Fantasy and Carex brands are priced at $3.20 and $3.30, respectively.
The sharp price hike comes after USAID funding was halted due to former US President Donald Trump’s executive order on foreign aid.
It also highlighted the price difference in 2023, when two packs of Protector Plus condoms cost only $1, but costs have since risen by 150%, making them unaffordable for many.
Population Solutions for Health (PSH) has called for the removal of VAT and import tariffs on condoms, but has received no response.
With Zimbabwe having one of the world’s highest HIV prevalence rates, the condom scarcity threatens to exacerbate the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
