It's
C for Condom- the word that often dies in mummers and the usage of
which still hasn't reached an apogee of remarkable significance. Amidst
the stigamatised hushed scenario the aperture allowing change to seep
in is gradually widening. While the commercial advertisements are
rather cautious in depicting the right picture as well as communicating
the message without disturbing the socio sensitive environment, there
exists in congruence another stream of change- Social Marketing
Organisations (SMO) like HLFPPT, DKT International, Population Service
International (PSI). They are active in using marketing techniques in
promoting condom usage in combating HIV/AIDS, thus reducing risky
behaviour amongst the high-risk population. Socially marketed condoms
are subsidised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Central
Government.
Social Marketing is…
Sameer
Despande assistant professor, marketing University of Lethbridge,
explains the concept as, "It is using marketing technology to solve
social problems. It involves identifying the individuals and
organisations that are responsible for causing social problems,
understanding why they carry out certain behaviours that cause social
problems, what is the motivation behind the current behaviour, and
trying to understand what barriers they perceive if they enact the
desired behaviour." Mimansa Shukla, manager-research and training,
HLFPPT, adds, "We adopt all commercial marketing techniques to reach
out to the target audience. There is stress on the usage of mass media
for carrying out promotional activities for NGOs and NTOs (Non
traditional outlets.)
Point of concern
In
Maharashtra there are 22 high prevalence districts and Mumbai is one of
them. While one knows there is no dearth of condom brands, its
availability and usage rate is low. Despande emphasises, “In india
the use of contraceptives is very low. It’s around five-six per cent.
So the current behaviour is to have sex without condoms. This behaviour
needs to be looked into. There are also barriers in not using condoms
like: not wanting to carry a condom everywhere, the chalta-hai
attitude which is nothing but ignorance, belief that condoms reduce
pleasure, concern over safety of condoms etc.” Besides these barriers,
availability is an issue as it is not available everywhere and even if
they’re available it’s at the pharmacist and at times it is also
stocked at the paan shops, but that effort is limited.
The funda at work
Through
social marketing the effort is to offer the same benefits as other high
priced products. It aims at reducing barriers and enhancing the
benefits. ‘Bhau campaign,’ a social marketing initiative has apparently
gone down well with the audience and according to HLFPPT this campaign
is a generic condom programme where they create a base for all SMOs to
pitch in and promote their respective brands without the
rat-race-competition.
Shukla
elaborates, “We work for a social cause in a target specific manner and
our emphasise is on NTOs like paanwalla’s, kirana stores, garages,
dhabas, in and around the high risk areas that are either brothel based
or non-brothel based. training
programes are conducted to create awareness and communication material
is provided to senstitise them. Further these NTOs are given an impetus
to stock social marketing brands like Ustad, Zaroor, Masti, Delux
Nirodh and are acquainted with the sale profit of these brands.”
Worth the purchase
The
state director PSI Mumbai, Dr Shilpa Merchant, explains, “We purchase
the condoms from the government at Rs 45 and sell it to the target
group for Rs 2. The general perception of the people that if a condom
is procured through free distribution it’s bound to be defective and is
often thrown away, so when our target audience pays even a small sum
for the condom, it gives them value for their purchase.”
There
is no means by which the proper utilisation of condoms can be measured,
but according to Rekha Kulkarni of Aditi, an NGO, social marketing has
become a tool to figure out the utilisation. “If there is a purchase
made by the HRA then they’re bound to utilise it too. In Solhapur and
Bhandup, the commercial sex workers have been purchasing socially
marketed condoms and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in these areas has
stablised,” avers Kulkarni.
Success- slow but steady
It is
believed that the Bhau campaign will be adopted by NACO at the national
level and by MSACS at the district level. As per HLFPPT the condom
market has gone up by 3 per cent. This might seem like a small leap but
is significant as the section targeted is Sec C, D, E and the HRA.
These groups not only lack the resources but also the awareness of the
facilities that can prevent them from falling into a death trap.
Deshpande
points out, “Efforts are being made by HLFPPT, they’ve started
installing condom vending machines in male rest rooms at CST station.
The objective is to make people comfortable to procuring a condom
without hesitation. But, often the condom vending machines break down
and many times they are not restocked. We need machines that can stock
around 200 packets, and installing these machines is a step toward
overcoming the barrier of condom usage.”
Challenge before SM
As per
a report on quality testing of condom, Maharashtra 2006 submitted by
HLFPPT, with the increase in demand of the condoms, there is a sudden
surge in the presence of spurious condoms labeled as foreign condoms.
Besides this, there are condoms whose expiry dates are due, which offer
higher margins to the sellers. Due to this these condoms are sold on
priority and are well past their expiry date. The deterioration is also
caused by improper storage in the supply channel. So spurious condoms,
non-labeled poor quality condoms and improper storage of condoms are
the matters of concerns to be dealt by social marketing.
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