After experts shared their insights and uncovered a previous report, the White House’s claim that it stopped the distribution of$ 50 million in condoms to Gazans has been subject to scrutiny.
According to Leavitt,” DOGE and the Office of Management and Budget ] also discovered that there was about$ 50 million in taxpayer dollars that went out the door to buy condoms in Gaza.” That is a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money, they say.
The claim was supported by an administrative official who spoke with the Independent on Wednesday, claiming it was a part of a larger charitable package to Gaza.
What proof exists?
The state immediately drew naysayers. The most recent, in-depth statement from the U. S. Agency for International Development, covering fiscal 2023, reported$ 60.8 million spent globally for contraceptive of all varieties, including injectable contraceptives, preventive implants, male contraception, female condoms, intrauterine devices, and others. The majority of the purchased contraceptives were made up of injectibles and implants, while 12 % of male condoms were made up of these. In total, 137, 790, 000 male condoms were purchased.
The majority of contraceptives were shipped to Africa. Notably, Taliban-controlled Afghanistan received a substantial shipment of male condoms and other contraceptives, representing a 293 % increase in delivered value from the year before — totaling$ 1.8 million.
The Middle East received its first contraceptive shipment since fiscal 2019 in fiscal 2023, but this consisted entirely of injectables and oral contraceptives, went entirely to Jordan, and was valued at just$ 45, 680.
Experts respond
In-depth data isn’t yet available for fiscal 2024, but those familiar with the matter doubted Leavitt’s claims.
No one knows what this is referring to, according to Steve Fake, a spokesman for the aid-benefit organization Anera, which has collaborated with USAID on a$ 50 million health initiative in Gaza.
The program has “definitely no purchase of condoms”, and Fake added,” Our whole program is$ 50]million ] and represents a significant portion of total US aid going to Gaza”.
Matthew Kavanagh, director of Georgetown University’s Center for Global Health Policy and Politics, told the outlet that he hasn’t found any evidence of Leavitt’s claim.
” It seems obvious to me that there were no$ 50 million in condoms going to Gaza. That is, at best, a mischaracterization”, he said.
Andrew Miller, the deputy assistant secretary for Israeli-Palestinian affairs under former president Joe Biden, described the claim as a “feverish dream” but suggested there might be some truth to it.
” It’s possible that$ 50 million is put aside for sexual health or something of that nature, which would include gynecology and many other services, but definitely not condoms alone”, he said.
An$ 83.5 million grant to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation, which aims to combat HIV and provide sexual health care to people in Gaza, a province in Mozambique, may have contributed to the confusion, according to data analyst DataRepublican on X.
In a post on X, Jeremy Konyndyk, president of the advocacy group Refugees International and a USAID official during the Biden and Obama administrations, gave a less charitable interpretation. He noted that the USAID purchases condoms for roughly 5 cents per piece, meaning it would be able to procure almost 1 billion for the enclave of roughly 2 million.
” What’s going is here is NOT a billion condoms for Gaza. What’s going on is that the bros at DOGE apparently can’t read govt spreadsheets”, he said.
The White House made the claim shortly after a report from the Washington Free Beacon, which claimed the Biden administration had spent$ 15 million on Afghan condoms and other contraceptives, citing a non-public congressional funding notice.
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The notice noted that” some coordination” with the Taliban was “necessary for programmatic purposes”.
Since the 1960s, USAID has been sending condoms and other contraceptives to underdeveloped nations.
