CARNAL NATION

The Ukraine has been hit extremely hard by the global financial crisis, and its banking system is on the verge of collapse. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently disbursed a $2.8 billion loan to the troubled nation. The IMF has estimated Ukraine's economy could contract by up to 8 percent this year, and it expects inflation to hit 16.8 percent this year. Ukraine's economic crisis is one of the worst in Europe. For example, industrial output slumped by 32 percent in January and February compared with a year ago, and output in the construction industry dropped by 57 percent during that period, according to the World Bank. Such dire financial straits have an impact at every level of society, including sexuality.

Because the Ukrainian currency, the grivna, has been so devalued, the cost of imports has risen dramatically. The cost of condoms, for instance, has risen from 35 grivnas ($5.45) to 100 grivnas ($12.25), more than doubling in the past year. Such a price hike represents a severe hardship for the average Ukrainian. While more expensive condoms and, subsequently, a corresponding drop in their usage might mean a spike in unwanted or unplanned pregnancies, another, more serious problem may be exacerbated by the high cost of this safer sex tool. The Ukraine has the highest incidence of HIV infection in all of Europe. Approximately 1.63% of the population is infected with HIV, and without the means for purchasing one of the most effective barriers against the spread of the disease, that rate may well go up. Furthermore, the Ukrainian government, with its collossal foreign debt and lack of cash flow, has its hands tied and finds itself unable to assist financially AIDS organizations. Such are the life-or-death consequences of global economic policy.