Indian ‘Rangeela’ for amorous Nepalese on Valentine’s Day
As traditional Nepal celebrates western Valentine’s Day Wednesday, ‘Rangeela’ will add pizzazz to the merry-making.
Sporting the same name as Bollywood star Urmila Matondkar’s blockbuster film, “Rangeela” is a new brand of condom brought to Nepal by the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) in its bid to promote awareness about the use of contraceptives and safe sex.
Manufactured by India’s Hindustan Latex, Rangeela is available in three-piece packs and priced at a modest Nepali Rs.15 (less than Rs.10).
Balaram Katwal, deputy director at FPAN, said his organisation would distribute between 300,000-400,000 packets in the first phase.
With young people in the reproductive age group forming a sizeable part of Nepal’s population, the government as well as NGOs have been trying to educate the segment about safe sex.
FPAN last year started a phone-in service to answer sex-related queries.
According to the last government survey on family health and planning in 2001, about 39 percent couples were aware of contraceptives. However, the awareness has increased since then, Katwal said.
The draft of the 2006 survey has found nearly 42 percent are aware of safe sex methods. However, despite the growing need for condoms, Nepal is still considered too small a market for contraceptive manufacturers to set up base.
No Nepali company makes condoms, birth pills or other contraceptives. They are mostly imported from neighbouring India.
The government of Nepal has been receiving financial assistance from Germany for its family health project. The German government is contributing about Rs.25 million for the distribution of condoms in Nepal.
The contract was awarded to New Delhi manufacturer Healthcare International, which will supply 23 million pieces from March.
— IANS
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