Sexual health crisis looms

Date: 28/03/02

By Martin Banks

MEPS have called on the European Union to provide more financial support to avert a 'looming crisis' in reproductive health services in developing countries.

Ulla Sandbaek and Richard Howitt urged the EU to ensure that at least one third of development assistance is allocated to health and education throughout the African, Caribbean and Pacific region.

Last week's ACP-EU joint parliamentary assembly in Cape Town heard that a recent study showed that only four out of 78 ACP countries rated health issues as a priority.

Resources are more commonly spent on improving infrastructure. Sandbaek, Danish member of the Group of Democracies and Diversities, told delegates: 'Research shows there is a looming crisis within the ACP region concerning the security of reproductive health supplies.

'The fact is there is not one condom factory in Africa: a region that needs one. The fact is that in most cases, ACP countries are obliged to source their reproductive health supplies from donor countries and not necessarily at a reduced purchase price.'

Sandbaek, chair of the Parliamentary working group on population, sustainable development and reproductive health, said: 'We have a real crisis looming unless donors coordinate more effectively in partnership with ACP countries.'

MEPs have called on the European Union to provide more financial support to avert a 'looming crisis' in reproductive health services in developing countries.