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 Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Hualien Branch of the High Court today sentenced the main suspect in the 2021 fatal derailment of the Taroko Express to 12 years and six months in jail in the second trial of the suspect for his role in Taiwan’s deadliest train crash. Lee Yi-hsiang (李義祥), the driver of a crane truck that fell onto the tracks and which the the Taiwan Railways Administration's (TRA) train crashed into in an accident that killed 49 people and injured 200, was sentenced to seven years and 10 months in the first trial by the Hualien District Court in 2022. Hoa Van Hao, a
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the