SAB will distribute 1-million male condoms and 500 000 female condoms to approximately 2 500 licensed taverns and bottle stores across the Gauteng province this Worlds AIDS Day, 1 December 2018.
The initiative is a continuation of the South African Business Coalition on Health & AID’s (SABCOHA) national condom distribution programme, Project Promote, in partnership with the National Department of Health.
SAB, a strategic partner of SABCOHA’s Project Promote since 2010, has helped to distribute close to 19 million condoms to approximately 15 000 licensed local taverns across South Africa.
It was possible for the company to extend the reach of national condom distribution to licensed non-traditional outlets, namely taverns, many of them in remote locations, owing to the organisation’s extensive and sophisticated distribution network across South Africa.
SAB’s 42 depots across the country are registered Primary Distribution Sites (PDS) for the government-issue condoms and the organisation’s distribution vehicles are used to distribute the condom stock to customers.
Building up to and including this year’s World AIDS Day, the male and female condoms will be distributed with every beer stock delivery made to select licensed taverns and bottle stores, mostly in informal settlements across Gauteng.
“SAB’s commitment to helping bring social change in South African communities is aligned to government’s aim to reduce the impact caused by HIV and AIDS in the country. It, therefore, makes perfect sense that we contribute to the work being done to achieve this aim”, says Zoleka Lisa, Director Corporate Affairs, SAB.
According to the John Stover study (Founder and President of Futures Institute, USA), 19 million condoms are able to help avert an estimated 38 000 new HIV and AIDS infections. The study further claims that for every 500 condoms distributed, at least one HIV and AIDS infection is averted.
SAB will expand the distribution of condoms post 2018 World AIDS Day to more licensed outlets in Gauteng and other provinces. This is the Company’s small way of contributing towards the fight against the HIV and AIDS scourge.
