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Loading ...65 million condoms for Carnival
02.18.2009 5:51pm EST
(Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) Carnival is condom season in Brazil, where the government has announced it will hand out 65 million free prophylactics to partiers this month.
It’s an increase of 20 million from what the government hands out each month the rest of the year in Brazil, which has aggressive anti-HIV and -AIDS efforts praised by the United Nations.“In addition to the 45 million condoms we already distribute on a monthly basis, we’re increasing that amount this month so there can be enough condoms distributed at all the parties and events that take place during Carnival,” said Mariangela Simao, director of the national HIV-AIDS program in the capital, Brasilia.
All told, the country plans to spend roughly $36 million to purchase 1.2 billion condoms this year – making it the world’s No. 1 government buyer, Simao said. About 560 million free condoms will be available nationwide, or around three for each of Brazil’s 191 million people.
The prophylactics – distributed to state agencies who then hand them out – come in purple wrappers emblazoned with the message “Always use a condom!”
Church officials in Brazil, home to the world’s largest Roman Catholic population, have opposed the condom program.
Also, the Health Ministry hosted a “Mature Woman’s Block Party” in Rio de Janeiro to highlight its latest target demographic: women over the age of 50, about 70 percent of whom do not use condoms, according to the ministry.
Health officials said AIDS cases have tripled among that group in the last decade, from 3.7 cases per 100,000 people to 11.6.
“We senior citizens are still sexually active nowadays, so these types of campaigns are very important,” said Ana Leila Goncalves, a 62-year-old grandmother who took part in the event.
Earlier this month, the health ministry reported it would spend $500,000 this year on 15 million small packets of personal lubricant, which it said helps keep condoms from breaking.
The used condoms should be put in sealed plastic bags, and mailed en mass to the churches.
yes, good for Brazil. And I think they do have partial marriage legal rights in some areas for gay people. And the more the church gets pissed off, the more they will act like fools, idiots, and bigots. Of which Benedicts election was a supreme example.
“The Roman Catholic populace needs to get their heads out of the sand; if people are going to play, then they should be given the tools and information to play safely. Why is that such a problem for religious groups? If they don’t like sex, then don’t do it, leave other people alone.”
Why – because then live in the stone age. And their puritanism about sex is what created perverts out of their alterboys. And has cost them billions, but should have cost them trillions. Gays are almost certainly born that way, but perverts are made by puritanism. We had one of those freaks at work, until he couldn’t stand my IMPEACH license plate, since he worshiped, in his ignorance (he actually would have been a decent guy except for his 7th day adventist church teachings) Bush. If I saw him again, I’d ask him if he still worshiped Bush, and if he was really “into exPr. Bush”.
(Damn it – what an interesting pun)
While the old men in dresses continue to bow to their cross, which in so many ways resembles a sword – it’s real meaning to the church – power and threats if you don’t rim their butt and do as they say.
Remember about the crusades – when the Christian (actually Catholic) soldiers came with sword in one hand and cross in the other. The Muslims haven’t forgotten.
And that is what enabled some ultra-conservative madmen to give us 9/11
Keep it safe Brazil, keep it safe.
Good for the Government of Brazil! They should also distribute lube with the rubbers. The Roman Catholic populace needs to get their heads out of the sand; if people are going to play, then they should be given the tools and information to play safely. Why is that such a problem for religious groups? If they don’t like sex, then don’t do it, leave other people alone.