220 000 condoms off to Myanmar

[Canadian4206]

Bangkok - The United Nations will send nearly a quarter of a million condoms into cyclone-hit Myanmar to help needy survivors with no access to contraceptives, a UN official says.

So far, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said it had sent 72 800 condoms to survivors struggling to maintain their family planning after the storm hit in early May.

A total of 218 400 condoms would be delivered, UNFPA aid advisor Chaiyos Kunanusont said.

"We don't want regular use of contraception disrupted. An emergency usually damages the health system, so people don't have access to condoms and contraceptives," said Chaiyos.

Flights were also carrying reproductive health kits, which included razors for cutting umbilical cords, clean sheets for delivering babies and enough contraceptive pills and injections to last 3 390 women three months.

The supplies were meant to serve about 300 000 people, Chaiyos said.

Cyclone Nargis left 2.4 million people in desperate need of food, medicine and shelter, the UN estimated, but Chaiyos said not all of the affected people would need family planning supplies.

"Not every single woman is using contraceptives in Myanmar. We're basing this on regular habits," he said.

Cyclone Nargis left at least 133 000 people dead and missing, and aid groups had complained that supplies were not getting to survivors quickly enough because of limitations imposed by the ruling junta.

I can just see the guy that has to give them out now, "I know you're homeless, your hungry and thirsty but cheer up look on the bright side. We brought you a crap load of condoms! I know, last think you are thinking about is having sex but uh... yeah just take them"

Good ol' United Nations.

[[R-DEV]Masaq]

Just a request... could you learn to use the "Edit" button rather than double posting so often? Failing that, just thinking for just 60 seconds before posting would allow you to add your wonderful afterthoughts to your original post before posting it.

It's just that every second post from you immediately follows another post from you. It's poor nettiquette and makes the place look untidy

Ta!

[Dr2B Rudd]

Think about it, keeping the birth rate and STD transmission rate under control during a major crisis is pretty important. I'm sure that the proportion of supplies being sent that is contraceptive related is very small, but fact is that people are gonna 'do it' no matter- so it must be done safely.

I'm sure the aid agencies have got their priorities right, its not like they have a lack of practice atm.

[Canadian4206]

Originally Posted by [R-MOD]Masaq

Just a request... could you learn to use the "Edit" button rather than double posting so often? Failing that, just thinking for just 60 seconds before posting would allow you to add your wonderful afterthoughts to your original post before posting it.

It's just that every second post from you immediately follows another post from you. It's poor nettiquette and makes the place look untidy

Ta!

I left the First post to post the Article, and left my comments on it seperate for a reason. It's organization, so people won't get my comments and my article mixed up. What's exactly the problem with a double post like this? I can see what you would say that if I was responding to something, but if I post a article and reply my comments afterwards. I don't really see a point?

Originally Posted by Dr2B Rudd

Think about it, keeping the birth rate and STD transmission rate under control during a major crisis is pretty important. I'm sure that the proportion of supplies being sent that is contraceptive related is very small, but fact is that people are gonna 'do it' no matter- so it must be done safely.

I'm sure the aid agencies have got their priorities right, its not like they have a lack of practice atm.

Yeah that is important, but keeping the population from starving and being thirsty is a bigger goal.

[[R-DEV]Masaq]

Umm... so they're sending a couple hundred thousand condoms? Well a box of 100 is roughly 6 inches wide, 3 inches tall and 10 inches long (very roughly). That's 180 cubic inches per pack of 100.

220,000 rubbers would require 2,200 boxes of 100.

2,200 boxes at 180 cubic inches is a total package of 396,000 cubic inches, or roughly 230 cubic feet.

Whoa, 230 cubic feet of condoms!

But wait, let's just put that into perspective a moment:

A single 747-400 Freighter can carry 21,347 cubic feet of cargo. On the main deck. The lower deck can carry another 5,600 cubic feet, while it can then carry a futher 560 cubic feet in bulk cargo...

In short, the space and effort required to transport almost quarter of a million condoms is virtually nothing. It's a not even a single percentage point of the total haulage capacity of a 747-400.

So, I say to the UN... dispatch away my blue-coated friends, and let the people of Myanmar protect themselves against disease and unwanted pregnancy even in the midst of chaos. God knows they're going to need all the help they can get, and even if they don't want to shag with the damn things they can use them to fix leaky seals in place of a proper rubber gasket or use them to store fresh water.

[Leo]

I can see people taking 100s of condoms to the lake and coming back with bucketful's worth of water.

[[R-CON]MrD]

Could we argue that with such a loss of life, a baby boom to replenish population is surely needed and that although the infastructure is blown down, the results shouldn't be that long lasting, if the right aid and economic packages are put in place?

Sure, you don't want 4-9 month pregnant women all over the place that length of time into the future, but repopulation will occur much like after wars.

[ArmedDrunk&Angry]

How about....the UN is a clueless agency that imposes it's moral values on others ?
The proof ?
They send condoms to a nation facing over 100,000 dead because the leaders won't accept help.

But, please, continue to calculate the cargo space needed for rubbers as if that makes it a good policy decision.

But don't expect anyone to believe you anymore than they believe in Santa-friggin-Claus.

[creepinshadow24/7]

Originally Posted by Leo

I can see people taking 100s of condoms to the lake and coming back with bucketful's worth of water.

agreed. i dont think they're in the mood for fucking when there's people dying around them. They rather take them condoms to carry water from a clean place.

[Dr2B Rudd]

Originally Posted by ArmedDrunk&Angry

How about....the UN is a clueless agency that imposes it's moral values on others ?

Say what you will about the UN, but as we learned from the League Of Nations (of which created some commissions that are now controlled by the UN) is that where it fails in politics, it can succeed in delivery of aid and dispensation of healthcare. So clueless is a cruel judgement.

Imposes? Gives the right to choose more like.