New Delhi:
Super thin condoms of material resembling skin and other "next generation" contraceptives that would empower women in family planning may be a reality as soon as next year.
This was stated here today by Bill Gates, philanthropist and founder of Microsoft whose Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation is funding these significant projects.
"There is some technology on materials that might be able to maintain a barrier with a very very thin material. So I think by next year we will see if it looks good enough," Bill Gates said here.
Citing a "huge unmet need" for family planning in India, Melinda Gates said that the Foundation is also investing in technologies that "puts the power in the hands of women" and gives them more choices.
"Besides the condom, we are also investing in technologies for women which hasn't been done in over a decade," said Melinda Gates.
"For example the listerine meth that dissolves on your tongue. Eventually with technology a woman can use something like that in her vagina. And can have family planning. That to me is the real invention because it puts the power in the hands of the women," she said.
Melinda said, "We have had 33 million couples tell us about the need for family planning. If you are in a urban area like Delhi it is easy but in rural areas among women there is high awareness but not much supply."
Bill and Melinda, who are visiting India, were in conversation with author Chetan Bhagat at an event titled "All Lives have Equal Value".
The Gates Foundation, said Bill Gates annually grants funds to test innovative ideas to tackle persistent global health and development problems.
"Annually we put out 20 scientific challenges and the next generation condom, is part of that, he said.
"For a lot of innovations there could be a market in countries that are well off and in this case (for condoms) that might be the case," Gates said today.
"There is at least a 50 per cent chance that we will have a new generation (condom).... In fact the real challenge is how to make it inexpensive," he said.
