World Population Day 2020: DKT International Addresses Global Supply Chain Disruption, Shipping and Distribution Delays, Limited
WASHINGTON , July 10 /Businesswire/ - According to the UNFPA, 47 million women in low-and middle-income countries may not be able to access modern contraceptives which could result in 7 million unintended pregnancies due to COVID-19. DKT International, one of the largest providers of family planning in the developing world, has launched new initiatives in 60 countries around the world to protect the sexual and reproductive health needs and vulnerabilities of women and girls in order to avoid unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal deaths due to COVID-19 and overburdened health systems.
“While there have always been obstacles in reaching women and couples in rural areas with family planning; social distancing and contraception supply chain disruptions have made condoms, IUDs, emergency contraception and abortion pills especially difficult to obtain,” says Chris Purdy, CEO of DKT International. “As a result, DKT is focused on doing everything we can to minimize disruption in the access to and use of high-quality products. The reproductive health needs of women and men around the world are not on ‘pause’ during this time–so we are continuing to address those needs.”
As COVID-19 impacts the availability of condoms and contraceptives at clinics, shops, and pharmacies, DKT is ensuring providers have sufficient supplies to meet the family planning needs of their customers. As a result, women are depending on pharmacies for their birth control rather than clinic-based methods like IUDs and implants as they choose to delay visits to clinics. DKT is also now providing face shields to shop owners so they can stay open without fear of infection.
Several DKT family planning efforts considering COVID-19 pivots include:
“Everyone at DKT is adapting nimbly and quickly during this unprecedented time. While we hope for the best, we are preparing for the worst and assuming these disruptions could be the new reality for the foreseeable future,” adds Purdy. “We will continue to assess where future challenges and opportunities lie to ensure that the reproductive health needs of women are met.”
Since 1989, DKT International’s core mission has been to provide safe and affordable options for family planning and HIV prevention through social marketing in underserved countries throughout Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In 2019, DKT generated 47 million CYPs through the sale of more than 805 million condoms, 93 million cycles of oral contraceptives, 13 million emergency contraceptives, 30 million injectables, 1.8 million implants, 4 million IUDs, 4 million medical abortion (MA) combipacks, and 222,000 MVA kits.
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