Condoms can no longer be sold at any health centers run by the Tainan City Government’s Department of Health, the agency said, citing the low fertility rates for the policy change.
According to the department, the nation began providing contraceptives to families as early as 1995 as part of a population control campaign whose slogan was: “Two children is just right, but one would do just fine.”
Back then, the government was worried about families having too many children, but it is now worried about them having none, the department said.
Due to the decline of the birth rate and the increased number of channels to obtain contraceptives, the city government announced that it would cease selling condoms commissioned by the Planned Parenthood Association of Taiwan.
The association had been providing condoms for the centers to sell as part of the program, the department said, adding that the number of places to acquire the contraceptives was limited before convenience stores and drug stores became widespread.
The policy change has officially ended the era of cheap condoms in the city, where a dozen only cost NT$25, the department said.
The department warned the public to inspect condom packaging to ensure it has not been tampered with, adding that people should avoid falling for “the higher the price, the greater the quality” myth.
The department also encouraged the public to consult a pharmacist if a problem arises due to inferior products causing health problems.
When asked whether ending the program would affect HIV/AIDS prevention, Department of Health Director Lin Sheng-che (林聖哲) said that was a different issue.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and
RSS