Reuters reported that the global shortage of condoms will most likely occur in the context of the world’s largest producer stalled in production due to the order to block Covid-19 outbreaks.
Malaysian producer Karex Bhd is known to contribute 20% of global condom production. However, Karex was unable to produce any products in recent years when three factories in Malaysia were closed for more than a week because of a nationwide blockade to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
This could result in a shortage of about 100 million condoms, often distributed globally to government health agencies such as the British National Health Service, or humanitarian programs such as the Inter-Population Population Fund. United Nations.
Karex was allowed to resume production of condoms on March 27 under an exemption order for important industries in Malaysia, however, it only used 50% of its human resources.
"It will take time to start the factory again and we will have to work to meet demand with half the capacity," Karex CEO Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters .
“We will see a global shortage of condoms everywhere and that will become scary. My concern is that for humanitarian programs in remote areas of Africa, this shortage will not only last for two weeks or one month but may be months, ”Goh said.
"One more thing is that the demand for condoms is still very high in the world because like it or not, this is a must-have item. Right now, people probably don’t have a plan to have children. This doesn’t seem like It must be a good time when there are too many uncertainties, "Mr. Goh said.
Malaysia is currently the country most seriously affected by the new corona virus in Southeast Asia with 2,161 cases of Covid-19 and 25 deaths. The nationwide blockade order lasted until at least April 14.
Some other major condom manufacturers are based in China, where the disease started and forced many factories to close. Meanwhile, a number of condom manufacturers are based in Thailand, India, which have been witnessing an increase in Covid-19 cases.
