The overall provision of condoms to sub-Saharan Africa is only 4.6 per man per year, so another 1.9 billion condoms need to be provided by donor agencies if all countries are to have the same amount as the highest six. Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Togo, Congo, and Kenya are supplied with about 17 condoms per man aged 15 to 59 years. In addition it would only cost £34m ($47.5m) a year to fill the 1.9 billion condom gap excluding service delivery costs and production. In their study looking at this “condom gap” in Africa, Shelton and Johnston (p 139) emphasise that relative to the enormity of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa, providing condoms is cheap and cost effective. The first priority must be prevention.
