Twelve-hundred new condom vending machines have been set up around Shanghai City since Tuesday, 200 of which will distribute prophylactics for free.

Most of the machines were set up in public places, such as food markets, office buildings and residential communities.

The vending machines were installed ahead of the World AIDS Day, which is tomorrow.

"Condoms are the most efficient item to guard against AIDS infection," said Wei Longgen from the Shanghai Population and Family Planning Committee.

"As getting condoms from vending machines is convenient and secret, most people prefer using vending machines to going to the store."

A study by the committee found that about 20.6 percent of sexually active people in urban parts of the city use condoms, while only 6 percent of people living in rural Shanghai use them.

"Currently, there are 17,000 places in the city to pick up free condoms, including 700 vending machines, but that still is far from enough. We hope the increasing number of vending machines will help to improve public use of condoms," Wei said.

"We have set one to two places to pick up free condoms in each residential area of our block, and each spot supplies 20 to 30 boxes of condoms a day," said a clerk surnamed Shi with the population and family planning service station in Caojiadu of Putuo District.

"The demand for free condoms in Caojiadu has exceeded supply."

Shi said some residents still complain there aren't enough vending machines in the area to pick up condoms.

The Shanghai Population and Family Planning Committee has organized a special team to maintain the machines and spread information about AIDS prevention.

(Shanghai Daily November 30, 2005)