N-MARC Launches Commercial Condom Partnerships

AED recently achieved a key milestone under the USAID/Nepal Social Marketing and Franchise Project AIDS, Reproductive Health (RH) and Child Survival (CS) project or “N-MARC", by establishing two strategic partnerships with local commercial sector condom distributors, Praxis Trade Pvt. Ltd. and Gayatra Store Enterprises. Using a matching-funds approach, these innovative public-private partnerships seek to increase the availability and accessibility of each distributor’s condom brands in high-risk areas and among most-at-risk populations, in support of the Government of Nepal's National HIV/AIDS Strategy. Both companies have committed to invest approximately $50,000 towards this initiative.

AED anticipates the execution of a third agreement with another distributor in the coming days through which N-MARC will support the development of a new condom brand. AED looks forward to watching this program unfold over the coming months, and will document the successes, challenges, and outcomes. AED anticipates this program will be a market development model in the HIV/AIDS prevention arena that it can share with others. Additionally, AED plans to employ a similar approach for other public health products and services over the coming year.